Actualización en el manejo de la Bronquiolitis

Acute bronchiolitis (BA) is an important clinical entity in pediatrics, representing the leading cause of hospitalization due to acute respiratory infection of lower airway in children younger than 2 years old and one of the most important causes of infant morbidity. Despite its varied etiology, respiratory syncytial virus is the most frequently reported, reaching up to 80% of the cases of BA. Its clinical manifestations are very similar to asthma; thus differential diagnosis is compli- cated with this entity. A proper assessment of the clinical severity of the patient by means of specific scales is of great importance as well as the knowledge of the profitability of diagnostic tests to achieve an appropriate risk-benefit ratio. Currently, treatment with bronchodilators or epinephrine associated with hypertonic saline seems the most appropriate therapy, which must be removed if objective clinical improvement is not achieved. Palivizumab is a useful drug in the prophylaxis of BA in children at risk.