Clinical effects of heliox administration for acute bronchiolitis in young infants.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of heliox, a helium-oxygen mixture, on respiratory distress symptoms in young infants.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, double-blind study.


METHODS
Pediatric ICU (PICU) of a university hospital.


METHODS
Twenty infants, all < 3 months old, admitted to the PICU with moderate-to-severe acute respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis.


METHODS
All infants were randomly and blindly assigned to inhale either heliox or an air-oxygen mixture (airox) for 1 h under an oxyhood.


RESULTS
After 1 h, the respiratory distress score was significantly lower in the heliox group compared with the airox group (3.05 vs 5.5, p < 0.01), with a significant reduction in accessory muscles use (p < 0.05) and expiratory wheezing (p < 0.01). In contrast, inspiratory breath sounds and cyanosis did not significantly differ between groups. The ex-premature infants of the heliox group had a higher respiratory distress score at baseline compared with the term infants of this group (5.8 vs 5.2, p < 0.05) and a comparable decrease in the score at 60 min.


CONCLUSIONS
In young infants, even those born prematurely, heliox breathing induced a rapid reduction in accessory muscles use and expiratory wheezing. Further studies are needed to confirm the decreased respiratory muscle work of breathing during heliox inhalation in this population.
Unité de Réanimation-Pédiatrique, CHU de Montpellier, Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, 371 Avenue du Doyen G. Giraud, 34295 Montpellier Cedex 5, France. g-cambonie@chu-montpellier.fr
Gilles
G
Cambonie
Christophe
C
Milési
Sébastien
S
Fournier-Favre
François
F
Counil
Samir
S
Jaber
Jean-Charles
JC
Picaud
Stefan
S
Matecki
D000208:Acute Disease; D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006371:Helium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007223:Infant; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000187:drug effects*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006371:Helium; C038949:heliox; D010100:Oxygen