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Viral bronchiolitis is a common cause of hospitalization for infants and young children during the winter months, but evidence does not support therapeutic interventions other than supportive care (Journal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Jan 10 2007). Nebulized hypertonic saline (HS) has shown promise in the treatment of small airway obstruction in patients with cystic fibrosis. To evaluate the efficacy of this treatment for viral bronchiolitis, investigators in Canada and the United Arab Emirates randomized 96 children younger than 18 months (mean age, 4.7 months) who were hospitalized with moderately severe bronchiolitis to receive frequent (every 2–6 hours) doses of either nebulized 3.0% HS or 0.9% normal saline (NS).
Hospital le…