A Study of Clinical Profile and Outcome of Bronchiolitis in Children of Age 1–24 Months at A Tertiary Care Hospital in South India

Bronchiolitis is one of biggest clinical problem in children less than 2 years of age. Aims and objectives: . This study was done to outline the clinical profile of acute bronchiolitis as well as the risk factors for mortality and severe illness in children aged 1-24 months. Methodology: This is a Prospective Observational study conducted at Rangaraya Medical College and Government General Hospital, Kakinada, over a period of 12 months from October 2022 to September 2023.Results: A total of 200 cases were enrolled. Majority of the children were of the age 1-6 months (58.5%). Male preponderance was seen with M:F ratio 1.4:1. Children were admitted more during the winter months (Dec-Feb) 45%. Mild bronchiolitis was seen in majority children (83%). Severity was more among the 1-6 months age group, with severity decreasing with increasing age. Risk factors like birth weight less than 2.5 kgs, lack of exclusive breastfeeding, bottle, passive smoking, large family size with more than 4 family members, families with higher birth order, and families belonging to lower classes of socioeconomic status had increased severity of bronchiolitis, which was statistically significant. The mortality rate of bronchiolitis in the study was 6.5%. Conclusion: Bronchiolitis contributes to significant morbidity and mortality in infants. Parents should be counseled regarding modifiable risk factors which can increase the severity of illness. A vaccine against RSV can be effective in decreasing the disease burden in infants.