Management of Hospitalized Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis in the Pediatric Ward in Spain: Assessing the Impact of a New Clinical Practice Protocol

Abstract

Background Bronchiolitis caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the main reason for hospitalization in infants. Supportive care is the mainstay of treatment, and tests are restricted to a few indications. During 2015, our hospital bronchiolitis protocol (2015 HBP) was updated according to the latest practice guidelines. Objective The objective of this study was to assess implementation of the 2015 HBP and the clinical outcome of children aged ≤ 24 months with RSV bronchiolitis admitted to a pediatric ward. Methods We compared the use of treatments and tests, hospital length of stay (LOS), and oxygen requirements before imple-

Antimicrobial Stewardship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine: A Narrative Exploration of Antibiotic Overprescribing, Stewardship Interventions, and Performance Metrics

“…Their findings revealed a substantial 16% absolute reduction in antibiotic prescriptions (from 22% to 6% of patients). This reduction was corroborated by studies conducted in Spain [111] and Rome [112]. However, in the USA, the implementation of the AAP bronchiolitis guidelines was associated with reduced utilization of diagnostics and medications but not antibiotics [113].…”

The burden of non‐SARS‐CoV2 viral lower respiratory tract infections in hospitalized children in Barcelona (Spain): A long‐term, clinical, epidemiologic and economic study

“…Aside from these limitations, our study stands out from previous research conducted in our geographical area, insofar as we describe viral LRTIs from the perspective of microbiological data, clinical outcomes, and consumption of healthcare resources. 6 , 9 , 29 Finally, one of the strengths of our study is the inclusion of a large patient sample, which allowed to study the burden of viral LRTIs in hospitalized children over a long period of time.…”

“…Patients that met the inclusion criteria were classified in three groups according to the main clinical diagnosis: bronchiolitis—defined as the first episode of viral LRTI in an infant aged under 2 years as per our local protocol, 6 CAP and wheezing/asthma.…”

“…Similar studies in other regions are needed to compare findings on viral LRTIs. Aside from these limitations, our study stands out from previous research conducted in our geographical area, insofar as we describe viral LRTIs from the perspective of microbiological data, clinical outcomes, and consumption of healthcare resources 6,9,29. Finally, one of the strengths of our study is the inclusion of a large patient sample, which allowed to study the burden of viral LRTIs in hospitalized children over a long period of time.In conclusion, viral LRTIs place a heavy burden on hospital resources, and on the healthcare system in general due to their associated morbidity.…”