Abstract
From 12/83 thru 3/84, 30 children 1-33 months of age were enrolled in a study of Rib therapy for RSV lower respiratory tract infection. 20 patients (pts) received Rib and 10 placebo (plac). There were no significant differences between the groups in chronological or gestational age or in days ill prior to admission. Among pts with pneumonia, 17% of 6 plac pts and 64% of 11 Rib pts had multiple lobes involved (p=0.06). Plac pts received 42.25-94.75 hrs of aerosol therapy (mean 58.62), while Rib pts received 36.35-95.6 hrs (mean 55.74). 77% of all pts were discharged within 5 days of starting treatment. Severity of illness was evaluated daily using a visual scale of 0 (normal) to 4+ (most severe). Rib pts initially had a mean severity score 0.5 higher than plac pts. By Day 2 the rate of improvement was significantly greater than plac pts (p=.007); by Day 3 this difference in group improvement rates was even more substantial (p= .001). By Day 5, Rib pts showed 33% improvement in number with rales, while no improvement was noted in plac pts (100% still had rales). The rate of improvement in O2 saturation from first to last day of treatment was statistically significant for only Rib pts (p=.02). On Day 3, 13 (65%) Rib pts vs 5 (50%) plac pts shed ≤0.5 logs/ml of virus in nasal washes. No side effects or toxicity were associated with aerosol therapy. A short course of Rib treatment (~3 days) proved safe and beneficial.
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