Bronchiolitis Flashcards
What is bronchiolitis?
An acute viral infection of the lower respiratory tract
What is the most common causative organism for bronchiolitis?
RSV - respiratory syncytial virus
What are the risk factors for developing bronchiolitis?
Prematurity
Chronic lung disease
Smoke exposure
Breastfed for less than 2 months
Less than 3 years in age
What investigations are ordered if bronchiolitis is suspected?
Mostly clinical diagnosis
Nasopharyngeal aspirate or throate swab for rapid antigen testing or PCR
What are the symptoms of bronchiolitis?
Cough
Tachypnoea
Coryzal symptoms
Fever
Peripheral cyanosis
Difficulty feeding and breathing
What are the differentials of bronchiolitis?
Pneumonia
Croup
Foreign body
Bronchiectasis
Heart failure
Asthma
Cystic fibrosis
What is the treatment of bronchiolitis?
Supportive treatment
- Oxygen
- Fluids
What is the prophylactic treatment of bronchiolitis?
Palivizumab
What is palivizumab?
A monoclonal antibody treatment that binds to F proteins of RSV to prevent virus replication
Which group of people is palivizumab given to?
Infants born before 29 weeks
Preterm infacts with chronic lung disease
Infants with haemodynamically unstable congenital heart disease
Infants with conditions that make it difficult to keep the upper airways clear
Under 2s who are immunocompromised
What is chronic lung disease?
Lung disease in premature infants characterised by:
- A child who is ventilated for more than 4 weeks
- Anyone who still needs oxygen at 36 weeks gestation
What is the most important rare chronic complication of bronchiolitis?
Bronchiolitis obliterans (popcorn lung)
What is bronchiolitis obliterans?
An overdrive of the cellular repair after an infection that causes inflammation and thickening of the bronchioles
What virus most commonly causes bronchiolitis obliterans?
Adenovirus
