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Published on: January 29, 2011

Duration of illness in infants with bronchiolitis evaluated in the emergency department

Frank D Petruzella1, Marc H Gorelick

  • 1Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. fpetruze@mcw.edu

Pediatrics
|July 14, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Infants with first-time bronchiolitis experience prolonged illness, often lasting over three weeks. This condition significantly impacts families, with caregivers missing work and children requiring additional medical visits.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Bronchiolitis is a common viral respiratory infection in infants.
  • First-time episodes in the emergency department (ED) setting warrant further investigation into disease duration and family impact.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the duration of illness in infants experiencing their first episode of bronchiolitis presenting to an ED.
  • To evaluate the associated burden on caregivers and families.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study of infants under 12 months with first-time bronchiolitis.
  • Exclusion criteria included prior bronchodilator use or immunocompromise.
  • Data collected via ED assessment and weekly telephone interviews for up to 4 weeks.

Main Results:

  • Median symptom duration was 15 days, with 25% symptomatic beyond 21 days.
  • A history of eczema showed a trend towards longer symptom duration (18 days vs. 15 days).
  • Daycare and work absences were significant, with 37.1% of infants having subsequent unscheduled medical visits.

Conclusions:

  • Infants with bronchiolitis presenting to the ED often have a prolonged illness course.
  • Family burden is substantial, including missed work and subsequent medical care needs.
  • Potential influence of atopy on symptom duration suggests a need for informed family counseling.
Abstract

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