Comparison of mean duration of bronchiolitis in children receiving standard treatment with and without intravenous steroids

Abstract

Objective: To compare mean duration of bronchiolitis in children receiving standard treatment
with and without intravenous steroids.
Material and Methods: The study was conducted at the department of Pediatrics Services
Hospital Lahore. The duration of the study was six months from 1st July 2013 to 31st December
2013. After informed consent and ethical approval, 140 children aged 2-24 months presenting
with bronchiolitis i.e. complaints of fever > 38ºC, coryza, wheezing and tachypnea were included
by non-probability consecutive sampling. Seventy cases were assigned randomly to either
intravenous steroids or placebo group by using random number table. Children having history of
prematurity and mechanical ventilation in newborn period, more than one episode of respiratory
distress in past, family history of asthma or chronic cardiovascular conditions like congenital heart
diseases were excluded. Duration of hospital stay was measured in days starting from the day of
admission till the resolution of wheezing and tachypnea. Data was documented on structured
proforma and analyzed using SPSS 21. Difference in mean duration of wheezing, tachypnea and
bronchiolitis in treatment and placebo groups was compared using independent sample t test. A p
- value <0.05 was considered as significant
Results: One hundred forty children (53% male with mean age 8.9 ± 6.4 months) were included.
Age and sex distribution was similar in both treatment and placebo groups. When mean duration
of bronchiolitis / hospital stay was compared between treatment and placebo group the result was
in-significant. (P value= 0.104).
Conclusion: It is concluded that there is no difference in mean duration of bronchiolitis in children receiving intravenous steroids and those not receiving steroids