efficacy of combined nebulized hypertonic saline and chest percussion therapy in acute viral bronchiolitis

Conditions: Acute Bronchiolitis

Summary: this study will examine the efficacy of combined nebulized hypertonic saline with chest percussion therapy in patients age 0 to 24 months admitted to the general inpatient pediatrics unit with acute bronchiolitis. 3% nebulized hypertonic saline treatments combined with 3 minutes of chest percussion therapy will be administered every 6 hours of patients selected for the study.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: in order to be eligible to participate in this study (experimental arm), an individual must meet all of the following criteria: * age 0 to 24 months * admitted to the general inpatient pediatrics unit * has a diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis * receiving supplemental oxygen support data collected for the control arm will be obtained via retrospective chart review for patients meeting the following inclusion criteria: * age 0 to 24 months * admitted to the general inpatient pediatrics unit * has a diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis * receiving supplemental oxygen support exclusion criteria: an individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study: * admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit * has an underlying pre-existing condition that may affect the respiratory system (includes bronchopulmonary dysplasia, reactive airways disease, asthma, restrictive lung diseases, other chronic lung diseases, etc.) * has other comorbid conditions upon admission that may affect the respiratory system (includes pneumonia or other bacterial or fungal lung infections, acute exacerbation of reactive airways disease, acute exacerbation of asthma, pulmonary edema, pleural effusion, etc.) * has an absolute contraindication to nebulized 3% hypertonic saline, for example, a history of an allergic or anaphylactic reaction * is receiving other respiratory treatments such as bronchodilator treatments (i.e. albuterol or levalbuterol) * is receiving other adjuvant therapy such as antibiotics, antivirals, glucocorticoids, corticosteroids, or diuretics a potential study subject in the control arm via retrospective chart review who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from this study: * admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit * has an underlying pre-existing condition that may affect the respiratory system (includes bronchopulmonary dysplasia, reactive airways disease, asthma, restrictive lung diseases, other chronic lung diseases, etc.) * has other comorbid conditions upon admission that may affect the respiratory system (includes pneumonia or other bacterial or fungal lung infections, acute exacerbation of reactive airways disease, acute exacerbation of asthma, pulmonary edema, pleural effusion, etc.) * has an absolute contraindication to nebulized 3% hypertonic saline, for example, a history of an allergic or anaphylactic reaction * is receiving other respiratory treatments such as bronchodilator treatments (i.e. albuterol or levalbuterol) * is receiving other adjuvant therapy such as antibiotics, antivirals, glucocorticoids, corticosteroids, or diuretics

Keywords: acute bronchiolitis nebulized hypertonic saline chest percussion therapy