| Methods |
Randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial |
| Participants |
Outpatients treated in emergency department, aged less than 24 months old, with first episode of wheezing. Mean age 7.2 months, 57% male, no underlying lung/cardiac disease or previous bronchodilator use
Country: Canada |
| Interventions |
2 treatments at 30‐minute intervals of either nebulized salbutamol (0.10 mg/kg in 2 ml normal saline) or similar volume (0.02 ml/kg) normal saline placebo. Administered for 5 to 8 minutes through updraft nebulizer with continuous flow of oxygen for 5 to 6 L/min |
| Outcomes |
Respiratory rate, heart rate, oxygen saturation, RDAI score (5‐point score for each of wheezing: expiration, inspiration, location; retractions: supraclavicular, intercostal, subcostal) |
| Notes |
— |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
|
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
|
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
|
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
|
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
|
