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. 2021 Sep 14;13(1):7–17. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1735873

Table 3. Comparison of clinical characteristics of patients with bronchiolitis admitted to the PICU requiring and not requiring respiratory support escalation (RSE) and patients requiring and not requiring endotracheal intubation (ETI).

Variables Patients did not require RSE Patients required RSE p -Value Patients did not require ETI Patients required ETI p -Value
Number of patients 130 34 153 11
Clinical characteristics
 Respiratory support at PICU admission 0.44 c 0.39 c
 Room air 17 (13) a 7 (20.6) a 22 (14.4) a 2 (18.2) a
 NC 51 (39) a 12 (35) a 61 (40) a 2 (18) a
 HFNC 56 (43) a 15 (44) a 64 (42) a 7 (63.6) a
 NIPPV 6 (4.6) a 0 (0) a 6 (3.9) a 0 (0) a
 Hours spent in RA 0 [0, 7.5] b 0 [0, 9] b 0.81 d 0 [0,0] b 0 [0,0] b 0.35 d
 Hours spent on NC 14 [5, 24] b 12.5 [3, 18] b 0.28 d 14 [5, 24] b 4 [0, 18] b 0.063 d
 Hours spent on HFNC 0 [0, 36] b 23 [7.5, 42] b 0.008 d 8 [0, 36] b 10.5 [1, 34] b 0.31 d
 Hours spent on NIPPV 0 [0,0] b 0 [0, 32.5] b <0.001 d 0 [0,0] b 0 [0, 32] b 0.011 d
Viral infection:
 Respiratory syncytial virus type A 66 (50.8) a 14 (41.2) a 0.32 e 75 (49) a 5 (45.5) a 0.82 e
 Respiratory syncytial virus type B 6 (4.6) a 4 (11.8) a 0.12 e 7 (4.6) a 3 (27.3) a 0.002 e
 Influenza A and B 0 (0) a 0 (0) a 0 (0) a 0 (0) a
 Parainfluenza 1, 2 and 3 3 (2.3) a 0 (0) a 0.99 c 3 (2) a 0 (0) a 0.99 c
 Human metapneumovirus 3 (2.3) a 1 (2.9) a 0.99 c 4 (2.6) a 0 (0) a 0.99 c
 Rhinovirus 16 (12.3) a 8 (23.5) a 0.099 e 20 (13.1) a 4 (36.4) a 0.035 e
 Adenovirus 1 (0.77) a 3 (8) a 0.19 c 3 (2) a 1 (9.1) a 0.99 c
Medications
 Albuterol 56 (43.1) a 14 (41.2) a 0.84 e 63 (41.2) a 7 (63.6) a 0.15 e
 Hypertonic saline 6 (4.6) a 2 (5.9) a 0.76 e 7 (4.6) a 1 (9.1) a 0.24 e
 Racemic epinephrine 33 (24.6) a 12 (35.3) a 0.25 e 39 (25.5) a 6 (54.5) a 0.037 e
 Steroids 32 (24.6) a 10 (29.4) a 0.57 e 37 (24.2) a 5 (45.5) a 0.12 e
Antibiotics
 • Rule out sepsis 14 (10.8) a 8 (23.5) a 0.052 e 16 (10.5) a 6 (54.5) a <0.001 e
 • Secondary pneumonia 15 (11.5) a 7 (20.6) a 0.17 d 18 (11.8) a 4 (36.4) a 0.021 d
 • Bacteremia 0 (0) a 1 (2.9) a 0.21 e 1 (0.65) a 0 (0) a 0.99 e
 • Acute otitis media 14 (10.8) a 0 (0) a 0.045 d 14 (9.2) a 0 (0) a 0.29 d

Abbreviations: HFNC, high flow nasal cannula; NC, nasal cannula oxygen therapy; NIPPV, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation; PICU, pediatric intensive care unit; RA, room air.

a

Number of patients (percentage.

b

Median [Inter-quartile range].

c

Fisher's Exact test.

d

Kruskal-Wallis test.

e

Pearson's Chi-square test.