Acute bronchiolitis management in Tunisia: Impact of the national guidelines

Acute bronchiolitis management involves all pediatricians and primary care physicians. The national guidelines for bronchiolitis diagnosis and treatment were published in Tunisia to reduce excessive use of diagnostic tests and unify bronchiolitis management.

We aimed to assess the real impact of the national guidelines on acute bronchiolitis management in Tunisia.

We conducted an evaluative cross-sectional study. We randomly distributed anonymous questionnaires to physicians managing acute bronchiolitis during the period from 1st March 2014 to 30 November 2015.

We analyzed 140 questionnaires. Ninety-three interviewed physicians (66.4%) were advised of the latest national guidelines, half of them (33.6%) declared they didn't follow these guidelines. Real and complete guidelines adherence was observed in only 1.4% of interviewed physicians. According to bronchiolitis diagnosis, appropriate Chest X-rays and blood tests were requested respectively by 57.8% and 59.3% of interviewed doctors. Regarding bronchiolitis therapeutic management, bronchodilators and epinephrine nebulization weren't prescribed by respectively 45.7% and 38.6% of them. Antibiotics were prescribed by 92.9% of interviewed doctors and chest physiotherapy was well indicated by 47.8% of them.

There is a disconnect between the bronchiolitis guidelines and clinical practice. National strategies have to be developed to reduce excessive use of diagnostic tests and unrecommanded therapies.