Published online Apr 23, 2014.
https://doi.org/10.14776/kjpid.2014.21.1.37
Clinical Manifestations, Management, and Natural Course of Infants with Recurrent Bronchiolitis or Reactive Airways Disease
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical manifestations and 5-year natural course of recurrent bronchiolitis or reactive airways disease (RAD) in infants.
Methods
We reviewed the medical records of infants with recurrent bronchiolitis from January 2007 to December 2007 at The Catholic University of Korea St. Mary's Hospital in Incheon, South Korea. Additionally, we telephoned their parents to confirm their present medical statuses.
Results
Sixty-three subjects with recurrent bronchiolitis were identified. The mean age at admission was 8.1 months and the number of males was 44 (69.8%). Of the 63 infants with recurrent bronchiolitis, inhaled corticosteroids, bronchodilators, and antibiotics were given to 62 (98.4%), 53 (84.1%), and 40 (63.5%), respectively. Among the total 63 subjects, we were able to contact the parents of 45 children by telephone. None of these children had been hospitalized during the previous one year period due to respiratory infections or for other medical reasons. Of the 45 subjects we were able to contact, 38 (84.4%) had not experienced any further respiratory difficulties at all. Five (11.1%) had been diagnosed with allergic rhinitis while two (4.4%) were being managed for asthma.
Conclusion
Most children who presented with recurrent episodes of bronchiolitis in infancy did not show any further respiratory difficulties after five years of age.
Fig. 1
Five-year follow-up (natural course) of recurrent bronchiolitis or reactive airways disease (RAD) in infants was described. Most children (84.4%) who presented with recurrent episodes of bronchiolitis in infancy did not show any further respiratory difficulties after five years of age.
Table 1
Clinical Manifestations of Infants with Recurrent Bronchiolitis
Table 2
Comparison of the Inpatient Management of Acute Bronchiolitis by Country
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