Albuterol Virus: A Case Study

A Review of Albuterol use in Infants with Respiratory Virus Kaitlyn Coulter
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia in pediatric patients [1]. RSV bronchiolitis affects infants between the ages of
0–3 months with greater severity [2]. The viral process impairs normal pulmonary gas exchange leading to ventilation-perfusion mismatch and subsequent hypoxemia. The care of infants with bronchiolitis is mostly supportive. The focus of therapy is providing supplemental oxygen as needed and intervening in regards to the infant’s hydration status, if feeding is impaired. Bronchodilators have been extensively studied to determine if they are useful in the
Of the total, 103 patients were excluded leaving 316 patients for analysis. 56% were male and average LOS was 2.47 days. In all severity groups except for one the mean number of hours on supplemental oxygen was longer for the albuterol groups versus the nonalbuterol groups. For the five severity groups which showed longer need of supplemental oxygen in the albuterol groups the increase in hours ranged from 3.4 to 21.6. None of the differences in the severity groups in regards to hours of supplemental oxygen reached statistical significance. In one of the severity groups the albuterol group had a shorter time of supplemental oxygen than the non-albuterol group. In all severity groups except for one the LOS was longer in the albuterol groups than in the non-albuterol groups. The increase in LOS for the severity groups receiving albuterol ranged from 0.41 days to 1.14 days. One of the groups reached statistical significance in regards to the increased LOS in the albuterol group. One severity group had a longer LOS in the non-albuterol group. This increase, though, was only 0.04 days. When all groups were taken together, statistical significance was not