Introduction:

acute bronchiolitis is the most frequent lower respiratory tract infection in children under one year of old and accounts for 18% of all pediatric hospitalizations.

Objective:

to characterize the management of acute bronchiolitis in patients admitted to the pulmonology service at Pepe Portilla Pediatric Teaching Hospital during 2019.

Methods:

an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out. The target group comprised 612 patients diagnosed with bronchiolitis and the sample included 482 patients who met the inclusion criteria: moderate, mild cases with risk factors and clinical history with complete data. Descriptive statistical techniques were applied to process the information collected.

Results:

patients were admitted for mild bronchiolitis (75.9%), with an average stay of less than 5 days. Complete Blood Count (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation and chest radiography was performed in 100% of patients, with low percentage of positivity. Prechordal ultrasound was reported in 15.6% by transitory auscultation of cardiac murmurs. Oxygen therapy was prescribed in 98.9% of cases, with no clinical evidence of hypoxemia.

Conclusions:

there was an excess in the indication of complementary examinations and medication prescription. There was found an irrational prescription of inhaled bronchodilators, systemic steroids and antihistamines. There is dependence on diagnostic means, which reflects the need for a better application of the clinical method.

        · resumen en Español     · texto en Español     · Español ( pdf )