A controlled trial of aerosolized ribavirin in infants receiving mechanical ventilation for severe respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Abstract Background. Although the antiviral agent ribavirin improves the course of lower respiratory tract disease in spontaneously breathing infants with respiratory syncytial virus infection, it is not known whether ribavirin can benefit infants with severe respiratory syncytial virus disease who require mechanical ventilation. Methods. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of ribavirin (20 mg per milliliter) administered continuously in aerosolized form to infants receiving mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure that was caused by documented respiratory syncytial virus infection. Results. Of the 28 infants (mean [±SD]age, 1.4±1.7 months) enrolled, 7 had underlying diseases predisposing them to severe infection (mean age, 3.0±2.6 months), and 21 were previously normal (mean age, 0.8±0.9 month). Among the 14 infants who received ribavirin, the mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 4.9 days (as compared with 9.9 days among the 14 who received placebo; P = 0.0...