Incidence and seasonal variation of hospital admissions for acute bronchiolitis among children younger than two years in a Northern Emirates hospital

Abstract

Background: There is limited information about acute bronchiolitis (AB) in the United Arab Emirates. The study aims to describe incidents, hospitalizations, and seasonal variation of AB among children less than 2 years. Methods: The retrospective data were collected for children ≤24 months who were admitted in the University Hospital Sharjah with AB from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019. Demographic characteristics, vital signs, management, admission data, cases seasonality, maternity history, and co-infections related to the cases were analyzed. Results: A total of 2496 AB cases were reported. Males and children more than 6 months were more infected than females and infants ≤ 6 month. Most of the cases were from emergency room, discharged within the same day and delivered by normal vaginal delivery. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was the commonest cause of AB. Other etiological agents included influenza viruses, adenoviruses, Streptococcus spp., and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The seasonal variation peak of AB for the 2 years was found in the Autumn months, with a small peak reported in the beginning of Spring months. The number of AB cases in 2019 was greater than that in 2018. Conclusion: AB is a common reason for hospitalization among males and children more than 6 months during the Autumn season. RSV is the common responsible virus for hospital admissions and morbidity. Our results may guide effort toward healthcare provision and implementation of AB prevention.