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Bronchiolitis is a common and potentially serious viral respiratory disease in infants. Because pharmacologic therapies (e.g., steroids, β-agonists) are generally thought to be ineffective, treatment is largely supportive, consisting mainly of hydration and oxygen. This study evaluated a relatively novel treatment — nebulized hypertonic saline — which might work by improving mucociliary clearance in small airways.
In a prospective, double-blind, randomized clinical trial, 96 previously healthy infants younger than 18 months with moderately severe bronchiolitis were enrolled at three tertiary-care hospitals (2 in Canada and 1 in the United Arab Emirates). Children in the study group received 4 mL of 3% hypertonic saline every 2 hours for thre…