Does bronchodilator responsiveness in infants with bronchiolitis depend on age?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relation between age and bronchodilator responsiveness in infants with bronchiolitis.


METHODS
In 41 infants (age, 2 to 18 months) with bronchiolitis, lung function was measured with the raised volume rapid thoracoabdominal compression technique before and after salbutamol inhalation. Lung function was quantified in terms of timed volumes (FEV(0.5), FEV(0.75), and FEV(1.0)). A significant change was defined as a postbronchodilator value that differed from baseline by more than twice the within-subject coefficient of variation.


RESULTS
For the group, postbronchodilator values did not differ significantly from baseline (DeltaFEV(0.5), 3.8% +/- 9.3%; DeltaFEV(0.75), 3.5% +/- 9.5%; and DeltaFEV(1.0), 4.0 +/- 9.8%). Eleven subjects showed significantly increased timed volumes; 3 presented with a decreased lung function; the remaining patients failed to show a significant change. The mean age of subjects with improved lung function did not differ significantly from the mean age of those with no or paradoxical responses (9.7 +/- 4.7 vs 8.1 +/- 4.1 months); there was no correlation of age with the size of the bronchodilator response.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the current study indicate that bronchodilator responsiveness in infants with bronchiolitis is not age-dependent.
Modl
Manfred
M
Respiratory and Allergic Disease Division, Paediatric Department, Medical University of Graz, Austria.
Eber
Ernst
E
Malle-Scheid
Doris
D
Weinhandl
Elisabeth
E
Zach
Maximilian S
MS
D000367:Age Factors; D000420:Albuterol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001990:Bronchiolitis, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*
D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D000420:Albuterol