Home Oxygen Therapy in the Ambulatory Treatment of Bronchiolitis

Bronchiolitis is an infection of the bronchiolar epithelium. It is associated with profound submucosal and adventitial edema, increased secretion of mucus, and obstructed flow in the small airways, leading to hyperinflation, atelectasis, and wheezing. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is responsible for the majority of cases .Bronchiolitis is the most frequent lower respiratory tract infection with high morbidity, and the leading cause of hospitalization in young children. Studies from developed countries report an incidence hospitalization of 30 per 1000 children in the first year of life and an annual mortality rate of 1.82-2 per 100,000 live births. The cost of treatment is about $2.5 billion yearly. One group from the United States estimated the annual hospital costs for bronchiolitis at $365-$691 million.

Of children who develop bronchiolitis during the first 2 year of life, approximately 1 in 10 ( 3% of all infants in the USA) will be hospitalized furthermore, a substantial proportion of infants remain in the hospital to receive oxygen until their hypoxia has improved.

The current in hospital treatment for acute viral bronchiolitis is mainly supportive, consisting of supplemental oxygen, suction and hydration . Airway edema and sloughing of respiratory epithelia cell cause mismatching of ventilation and perfusion and subsequently reduction in oxygenation (PaO2 and Spo2). Emergency Department referral (ED) and Hospital admission (HA) admission, have increased secondary to increase sensitivity of pulse oximetry for detection of hypoxia ( compared with clinical observation. The therapeutic role of bronchodilators although of questionable clinical importance is commonly used A recent review reported has shown short-term improvement in clinical scores, but no improvement in oxygenation or rate of hospitalization. Neither systemic glucocorticoids nor antibiotics appear to have any clinically significant effect on the disease course. Antiviral agents (Ribavirin) are indicated only in children with a serious underlying disorder. Trials with chest physiotherapy using vibration and percussion techniques failed to reduce the severity of the illness, length of hospitalization, or oxygen requirements, and treatment with nebulized furosemide ,inhaled interferon alpha-2a (Roferon A) ,and rhDNase proved ineffective.

Clinicians are now influenced significantly in their decision for Emergency Department referral and hospitalization of patient with respiratory disease. We hypothesized that adding short term home intermittent oxygen therapy for 7 days to other treatment modalities will reduce hypoxias and Emergency Ward referral. The aim of the present study was to compare the outcome of this combined treatment with oxygen with other medical modalities to oxygen alone and with placebo in children with RSV bronchiolitis.