TO COMPARE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NEBULISATION WITH ADRENALINE, 3% HYPERTONIC SALINE AND NORMAL SALINE IN BRONCHIOLITIS IN CHILDREN OF 2 TO 24 MONTHS OF AGE BASED ON CLINICAL SEVERITY SCORE AND NEBULISATION FREQUENCY.

Abstract

Background & Method: We conducted a double blinded study at Index Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Indore. The sample size was determined to be minimum of 120 cases as based upon previous years admission due to acute bronchiolitis. Initially, 146 cases were included in the study out of which 23 cases dropped out of the study after giving consent by guardian for participation in the study as they left against medical advice from the hospital. \nResult: The mean difference of CSS between 0 minutes to 60 minutes of nebulisation between groups in all cases was 0.4 ± 0.6, between 60 minutes and 4 hours was 0.8 ± 0.6, between 4 to 8 hours was 0.7 ± 0.6, between 8-12 hours was 0.6 ± 0.4, between 12-24 hours was 1.6 ± 0.9 and between 24-48 hours was 1.9 ± 0.9.The mean values and resultant p-value of ANOVA of various nebulising agents used for improvement in CSS shows significant association between various nebulising agents used along with improvement in CSS at the end of assessment at 48 hours of treatment. \nConclusion: This study was conducted to establish the efficacy of each nebulisation agent (i.e.\xa0 adrenaline, 3% hypertonic saline and normal saline) currently used and compare the outcomes as there is not enough evidence amongst Indian population on level of efficacy of each drug in causing improvement in symptoms and signs in various severities of bronchiolitis in early childhood. Comparison of significant improvement in mean difference in CSS at various intervals in all cases compared between groups by post hoc test revealed non-significant difference (p-value 0.700) between 3% hypertonic saline and normal saline. \nKeywords: nebulisation, adrenaline, bronchiolitis & clinical.