The comparison of efficacy of nebulized Ventolin and Pulmicort and normal saline in treatment of children under 2 years old with bronchiolitis

The aim of this study is to comparison of efficacy of nebulized ventolin and pulmicort and normal saline in treatment of children under 2 years old with bronchiolitis.

This is a controlled single-blinded clinical trial study will be conducted on 100 children with the diagnosis of bronchiolitis. After coordination and obtaining informed consent, the patients will be randomly assigned into 3 groups of ventolin, pulmicort and normal saline.

This single-blinded clinical trial study will be conducted in Aboozar Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran. The patients under the age of 24 months with the diagnosis of bronchiolitis will be randomly divided into 3 groups. In Group 1: patients received nebulized ventolin, in Group 2: the patients received pulmicort, and in Group 3: the patients received nebulized normal saline.

Inclusion criteria: children less than 24 months, definitive diagnosis of bronchiolitis, parents’ consent to participate in the study; Exclusion criteria: Chronic heart and lung disease (heart failure or pulmonary cyst), immunodeficiency, metabolic or neurological diorders, birth below 34 weeks, use of ventilator in neonatal period, receiving systemic corticosteroid or antibiotic during hospitalization.

In first group, Ventolin nebulizer (Salbutamol) 0.15 mg/kg every 4 hours will be administered by nebulizer. In second group, Budesonide (Pulmicort) 125 mg 2 twice a day (morning and evening) will be administered. In third group, normal saline nebulizer (3 ml normal saline 0.9%) every 4 hours will be administered.

The Oxygen saturation, Symptom severity (clinical score) and length of recovery will be compared between the 3 groups.

Patients will be assigned into three groups by simple randomization method. Allocation of patients to the study groups will be done by random-numbers table and using computer, and on this basis patients will be included in one of the three treatment groups before starting intervention. The implementation of the random allocation sequence occurs without knowledge of which patient will receive which treatment

Intervention (receiving normal saline or Ventolin or Pulmicort) and patient evaluation will be carried out by a physician who is aware of treatment groups. The patients parents and statistical analyzer will not know about patient grouping.