Aerosols in Bronchiolitis

Abstract

Bronchiolitis is a common illness of the lower respiratory tract affecting infants that has considerable short and long-term morbidity and occasional mortality. It is the commonest cause of hospitalization for respiratory infection in early childhood, and the seasonal nature of the illness places considerable strain on health care resources during the bronchiolitis season. The youngest infants and those with preexisting cardiorespiratory disease are particularly at risk of severe illness. The treatment of infants with bronchiolitis is largely supportive. There are no therapies that have been proven to reduce the length of the hospitalization or intensive care stay. This paper will review the clinical course of bronchiolitis and discuss the aerosolized therapies that have been proposed for its treatment.