Cases Of Bronchiolitis Research Articles

Changes in Care in Spanish Pediatric Emergency Departments After the First Immunization With Nirsevimab.

The aim of the study is to assess the changes in the pediatric care of patients seen in the Pediatric Emergency Departments (PED) during the bronchiolitis season following the introduction of immunization with a monoclonal antibody against RSV (nirsevimab). An observational, retrospective, multicenter study was conducted, analyzing the Bronchiolitis Registry of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. This registry, containing data on bronchiolitis cases, was initiated in December 2022. A total of 30 hospitals participated, all of which are members of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Data from a 26-day period in 2 bronchiolitis seasons (2022: preimmunization and 2023: postimmunization) were included. Variables regarding health care burden were recorded for both periods. Quantitative variables were described using mean and SD, and the Student t test was used for comparisons between the 2 periods. Twenty-five hospitals from 11 autonomous communities were included with a mean of 47,811 PED visits/year (SD: 26,675). The number of bronchiolitis cases presenting to the PED and bronchiolitis-related admissions decreased by 41.6%(95% CI: 34.9%-48.2%) and 55.4% (95% CI: 46.6%-64.2%), respectively, while admissions for RSV bronchiolitis decreased by 60.3% (95% CI: 51.9%-68.7%). Admissions to pediatric intensive care units decreased by 81.3% (95% CI: 57.9%-100%). Furthermore, the occupancy rate in the pediatric intensive care units decreased by 30% (95% CI: 22.8%-37.3%), while a reduction of 22.4% (95% CI: 13.2%-31.5%) was observed in the occupancy rate of observation units. The number of bronchiolitis cases transferred to other hospitals decreased by 73.4% (95% CI: 29.0%-100%). Finally, there was a 60.9% (95% CI: 26.5%-95.3%) reduction in the need for high-flow oxygen therapy among bronchiolitis patients. After the introduction of nirsevimab, a large portion of indicators related to the burden of care associated with bronchiolitis during its epidemic season decreased significantly.

P-2358. Viral etiologies of bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and croup in children less than 5 years old, New Vaccine Surveillance Network, 2016-2022

Abstract Background Acute respiratory illness (ARI) is a leading cause of medically attended visits among children. A multi-season, multicenter, prospective evaluation of viral etiologies for different ARI syndromes is lacking. We describe the epidemiology of respiratory viruses (RV) detected among children with bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and croup in the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN).Table 1.Demographic characteristics of children less than 5 years with different acute respiratory illness syndrome (n=14,590), New Vaccine Surveillance Network, 2016-2022 Methods NVSN is a population-based, prospective, active surveillance network conducted at 7 pediatric hospitals. During 2016-2022, children < 5 years old with ARI were enrolled in the emergency department (ED) or inpatient unit. Respiratory samples obtained at enrollment were tested by RT-PCR for 8 RV (Figure 1). Demographic and clinical data were collected by caregiver surveys and chart review. ICD-10 codes were used to identify cases of bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and croup; cases with multiple ARI syndromes of interest were excluded. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the proportion of viral detections by ARI syndrome and age group.Figure 1.Respiratory virus detection across different acute respiratory illness syndromes, stratified by age , New Vaccine Surveillance Network, 2016-2022 Results Of 44,194 children enrolled, 14,590 were diagnosed with one ARI syndrome of interest, including 10,450 (71.6%) with bronchiolitis, 2,305 (15.8%) with pneumonia, and 1,835 (12.6%) with croup (Table 1). Of 14,590 children with one ARI syndrome, 12,138 (83%) had at least one virus detected. Among children with bronchiolitis or pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rhinovirus/enterovirus (RV/EV) were the most commonly detected viruses (Figure 1), whereas among children with croup, parainfluenza viruses (PIV) and RV/EV were most commonly detected. Among hospitalized children, children with pneumonia had the highest proportion of supplemental oxygen administration (69%), mechanical ventilation (7%), and death (0.3%). No deaths were reported for children with bronchiolitis or croup.Table 2.Severity and respiratory support across different acute respiratory illness syndromes evaluated in inpatient units (n=10,879), NVSN, 2016-2022 Conclusion From 2016-2022, RSV was commonly detected among children with bronchiolitis or pneumonia in the ED and inpatient settings and PIV was commonly detected among children with croup; RV/EV was commonly detected for all syndromes. Respiratory virus detections among common ARI diagnoses may evolve with the introduction of new respiratory virus prevention products underscoring the importance of continued evaluation. Disclosures Christopher J. Harrison, MD, GSK: Grant/Research Support|Medscape: Honoraria|Merck: Grant/Research Support|Pfizer: Grant/Research Support|UpToDate: Honoraria Geoffrey A. Weinberg, MD, Inhalon: Advisor/Consultant|Merck & Company: Honoraria for textbook chapter preparation Janet A. Englund, MD, Abbvie: Advisor/Consultant|AstraZeneca: Advisor/Consultant|AstraZeneca: Grant/Research Support|GlaxoSmithKline: Advisor/Consultant|GlaxoSmithKline: Grant/Research Support|Meissa Vaccines: Advisor/Consultant|Merck: Advisor/Consultant|Pfizer: Board Member|Pfizer: Grant/Research Support|Pfizer: Speaker at meeting|SanofiPasteur: Advisor/Consultant|Shinogi: Advisor/Consultant Natasha B. Halasa, MD, MPH, Merck: Grant/Research Support Rangaraj Selvarangan, BVSc, PhD, D(ABMM), FIDSA, FAAM, Abbott: Grant/Research Support|Abbott: Honoraria|BioMerieux: Grant/Research Support|Cepheid: Grant/Research Support|Diasorin: Grant/Research Support|GSK: Advisor/Consultant|Hologic: Grant/Research Support|Luminex: Grant/Research Support|Qiagen: Grant/Research Support Mary A. Staat, MD, MPH, Cepheid: Grant/Research Support|Merck: Grant/Research Support|Pfizer: Grant/Research Support|Up-To-Date: Honoraria

Construction and validation of a nomogram model to predict bronchiolitis Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children

After the cancellation of COVID-19 epidemic control measures in 2023, cases of pediatric bronchiolitis caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) have been reported successively, with some children experiencing residual bronchiolitis obliterans (BO). Currently, the diagnosis of bronchiolitis Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) primarily relies on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). To establish a predictive model for bronchiolitis MPP, a retrospective analysis was conducted. The patients were randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort. The nomogram model was constructed in the training cohort. Finally, the differential, calibration, and clinical applicability of the prediction model were evaluated using both the training and validation cohorts. Logistic stepwise regression analysis identified age, atopy, wheezing, hypoxemia, and pleural effusion as independent predictors of bronchiolitis MPP. These factors were used to construct a nomogram model. This nomogram model serves as a useful tool for predicting the risk of bronchiolitis MPP, which may facilitate individualized early intervention.

Severe bronchiolitis before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective database analysis by the Italian Network of PICU study group (TIPNet)

BackgroundThe first post-COVID-19 pandemic year demonstrated an unusual bronchiolitis epidemic in both hemispheres and has been attributed to the removal of barriers implemented during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Several countries reported an increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis, with more hospitalizations and a greater need for respiratory support. We aimed to evaluate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology and management of severe bronchiolitis in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in Italy.MethodsMulticenter, retrospective, cohort database analysis. All children younger than 24 months admitted to 7 PICUs from October 2017 to April 2023 diagnosed with bronchiolitis were included. We compared patients from pre-COVID and post-COVID eras, excluding patients from the 2020–2021 season due to low numbers. Logistic regression models were used to assess the impact of the pre-/post-COVID period on the need for invasive ventilation.ResultsSeven hundred fifteen patients were admitted to PICU during the study period, 451 patients pre-COVID and 251 patients post-COVID. Patients in the post-COVID group were older, had more comorbidities, and had higher Pediatric Index of Mortality scores at admission but the need for respiratory support was not significantly different. There was high variability in bronchiolitis management across centers. Presenting pre-COVID was protective against the risk of mechanical ventilation, adjusted for age and disease severity at admission (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.16–0.89), while RSV infection increased the risk of intubation (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.1–5.63).ConclusionsPICUs have faced an unexpected peak of significantly more severe cases of bronchiolitis after the COVID-19 pandemic, which did not require increased respiratory support.

Three-year outcome of a very young severe uncontrolled preschool wheezers cohort, a real-life study

Preschool wheeze is a public health issue. Disease control can be difficult to obtain in this population, in which no biologic therapy is indicated. We studied the evolution of severe preschool wheezers in real-life and identified the factors leading to no-control.We conducted a retrospective study at our tertiary asthma center. Each child under 3 years of age with severe, uncontrolled preschool wheeze was admitted to a pediatric day hospital for further investigations. We collected the results of clinical, biological and radiological exams, and follow-up data at 1 (Y+1), 2 (Y+2) and 3 years (Y+3).We included 135 patients; 63 (47 %) were still being followed at Y+3; 53 % were discontinued due to disease control. The median age at inclusion was 12 months. 29 % of patients followed up still had severe uncontrolled wheezing at Y+3. Eosinophils greater than 0.23G/L (p = 0.03) and a first case of bronchiolitis before the age of 2 months (p = 0.01) were factors in uncontrolled wheezing at Y1. Tobacco exposure was a factor associated with uncontrolled wheezing at Y+2 (p < 0.001). A first case of bronchiolitis before the age of 2 months (p = 0.007), male sex (p < 0.001) and a familial history of atopy (p = 0.05) were factors in uncontrolled disease at Y+3.We report a real-life study, with a very young population and very severe wheezing. Our therapeutic approach is original, enabling us to study the evolution of “therapeutic pressure” in the early years of this frequent disease, the pathophysiology of which is still poorly understood.

Exploring Risk Factors Associated With Intensive Care Unit Admission in a Retrospective Cohort of 631 Children With Bronchiolitis.

Examine the trends and epidemiological features of acute hospitalized bronchiolitis cases among children aged 28 days to 2 years, both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, evaluate their need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and identify primary risk factors associated with severe bronchiolitis. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records of paediatric patients admitted to Meyer Children's Hospital in Florence (Italy) from September 2019 to March 2023, with the diagnosis of bronchiolitis. Between 2019 and 2023, bronchiolitis hospitalizations grew by 76%, going from 131 to 230 cases, after the historical minimum of 14 cases in the 2020-2021 season. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection emerged as the predominant etiological agent, contributing to 76% of hospitalizations in both 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons. Coinfection cases increased fivefold from 2019 to 2023, accounting for 23% of hospitalizations in 2022-2023. In addition, the ICU admission rate increased from 13% in 2019-2020 to 31% of bronchiolitis hospitalizations in 2022-2023. Univariate and multivariate analysis data show that infants below 2 months of age, preterm births, comorbidities and RSV infections were correlated with a higher risk for ICU admission. The growing trend in ICU admissions for acute bronchiolitis in hospitalized children represents a substantial health challenge. Addressing the bronchiolitis epidemic necessitates a strategic focus on RSV prevention through interventions such as vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. Urgent implementation of preventive initiatives, together with continuous surveillance and the establishment of national databases, is imperative and cannot be further deferred.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Children with Bronchiolitis

Background: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the most common organism causing bronchiolitis. Bronchiolitis is almost always diagnosed clinically. As a result, the availability of bedside sensitive rapid RSV antigen tests is critical for timely RSV acute respiratory infection diagnosis. Methods and materials: This study was conducted to detect RSV antigen positivity and the sociodemographic profile of children with RSV antigen positive bronchiolitis. From October 2022 to March 2023, this observational study was conducted in the pediatrics department of Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Ninety-two nasopharyngeal swabs from children younger than two years, were tested for RSV antigen. The mean and standard deviation were used to express the demographic data. Chi-square analysis was used to examine differences in group proportions. Results: RSV antigen positivity was detected in 45.7% of the 92 cases, with a mean age of 4.18±3.08 months. Severe bronchiolitis cases were more common (22.8%) among antigen positive cases and had the longest hospital stay. During the months of November (42.4%) and December (29.3%), RSV infection levels peaked. This study describes that during the seasonal epidemics, RSV was the main concern, as the number of positive cases decreased in the months that followed. The signs and symptoms of RSV positive and negative cases were not significantly different. Conclusion: A simple, low-cost and bedside RSV test can be considered as a valuable diagnostic tool in a low resource setting. J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2024; 42: 368-378

A rare case of respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis with spontaneous bilateral pneumothorax in an infant

Abstract: The most common self-limiting viral infection of the lower respiratory tract in the pediatric population is bronchiolitis, which most commonly affects infants. In most cases, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the causative agent. In general, the recovery occurs within 5–7 days without any complications. Spontaneous pneumothorax is one of the rare and less-reported complications of bronchiolitis. We report a case of a male child aged 5 months with bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax (PNO) with subcutaneous emphysema following bronchiolitis. The nasopharyngeal swab was positive for RSV, and all other investigations ruled out any underlying illness causing spontaneous PNO. Although it is a rare complication of bronchiolitis, it may occur late during the disease course. Pediatricians must be aware of this life-threatening complication, which may develop during the disease course despite an early clinical improvement.

Introduction of nirsevimab in Catalonia, Spain: description of the incidence of bronchiolitis and respiratory syncytial virus in the 2023/2024 season.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes most of the cases of bronchiolitis and thousands of deaths annually, particularly in infants less than 6months old. In Catalonia (Spain), infants born between April 2023 and March 2024 aged 0-6months during their first RSV season have been candidates to receive nirsevimab, the novel monoclonal antibody against RSV, since October 2023. We aimed to analyse the dynamics of all-causes bronchiolitis diagnoses and RSV community infections in the current season and compare them to pre-nirsevimab epidemics. We collected epidemiological data from the Information System for Surveillance of Infections in Catalonia (SIVIC) on daily all-causes bronchiolitis clinical diagnoses and RSV-confirmed cases provided by rapid antigen tests in primary care practices. We calculated the rate ratio (RR) for the incidence of all-causes bronchiolitis for children aged 0-11m-old with respect to 12-35m-old between September 2014 and January 2024. We analysed the RR of the incidence of RSV-confirmed infection for 0-11m-old and 12-35m-old with respect to the > 35m-old, from January 2021 to January 2024. We then computed the relative difference of the RR, designated as percentage of reduction of risk, between season 2023/2024 and former epidemics. With a global coverage recorded rate for nirsevimab of 82.2% in January 2024, the age-specific 0-11m-old RR (95% CI) of RSV infection incidence for > 35m-old was 1.7 (1.5-2.0) in season 2023/2024. The RR (95% CI) had been 7.4 (5.6-9.9), 8.8 (6.9-11.3), and 7.1 (5.7-8.9) in 2020/2021, 2021/2022, and 2022/2023, respectively. Regarding the incidence of all-causes bronchiolitis for the 0-11m-old group compared to the 12-35m-old, the pre-pandemic (2014/2015-2019/2020) and 2022/2023 RR (95% CI) were 9.4 (9.2-9.6) and 6.0 (5.7-6.2), respectively, significantly higher than the RR of 3.6 (3.4-3.8) for the most recent season, 2023/2024. Conclusion: Concurring with the introduction of nirsevimab, the risk of RSV infection for infants aged 0-11m-old compared to > 35m-old has been reduced by 75.6% (73.4-77.5) in last season, and the risk for all-causes bronchiolitis for 12-35m-old by 61.9% (60.9-62.9) from the pre-pandemic period and by 39.8% (39.3-40.2) from the 2022/2023 epidemic, despite high RSV community transmission, especially in older infants What is Known: • RSV is responsible for approximately 70% of bronchiolitis cases and causes severe disease, particularly in infants < 6months of age. • Nirsevimab effectiveness against RSV-associated disease, particularly hospitalisations, was expected to be around 80%; other Spanish regions, such as Galicia and Valencia, and European countries including Luxembourg and Germany, have already reported good results in implementing nirsevimab to prevent RSV-associated hospitalisations and PICU stays. What is New: • We provide insight into the community incidence of RSV and all-causes bronchiolitis for season 2023/2024, when nirsevimab has been introduced to the Catalan population, using. primary healthcare data, which enabled us to assess the burden of RSV infections and bronchiolitis in the commonly seasonally saturated primary healthcare practices. • Our study reveals that the risk of all-causes bronchiolitis for infants aged 0-11m-old compared to older infants was reduced by 40% compared to the previous season and 62% compared to pre-pandemic standards, and for RSV infection it was reduced by 76%.

Innovative biomarkers TCN2 and LY6E can significantly inhibit respiratory syncytial virus infection

BackgroundRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a prominent etiological agent of lower respiratory tract infections in children, responsible for approximately 80% of cases of pediatric bronchiolitis and 50% of cases of infant pneumonia. Despite notable progress in the diagnosis and management of pediatric RSV infection, the current biomarkers for early-stage detection remain insufficient to meet clinical needs. Therefore, the development of more effective biomarkers for early-stage pediatric respiratory syncytial virus infection (EPR) is imperative.MethodsThe datasets used in this study were derived from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We used GSE188427 dataset as the training set to screen for biomarkers. Biomarkers of EPR were screened by Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), three machine-learning algorithms (LASSO regression, Random Forest, XGBoost), and other comprehensive bioinformatics analysis techniques. To evaluate the diagnostic value of these biomarkers, multiple external and internal datasets were employed as validation sets. Next, an examination was performed to investigate the relationship between the screened biomarkers and the infiltration of immune cells. Furthermore, an investigation was carried out to identify potential small molecule compounds that interact with selected diagnostic markers. Finally, we confirmed that the expression levels of the selected biomarkers exhibited a significant increase following RSV infection, and they were further identified as having antiviral properties.ResultsThe study found that lymphocyte antigen 6E (LY6E) and Transcobalamin-2 (TCN2) are two biomarkers with diagnostic significance in EPR. Analysis of immune cell infiltration showed that they were associated with activation of multiple immune cells. Furthermore, our analysis demonstrated that small molecules, 3ʹ-azido-3ʹ-deoxythymine, methotrexate, and theophylline, have the potential to bind to TCN2 and exhibit antiviral properties. These compounds may serve as promising therapeutic agents for the management of pediatric RSV infections. Additionally, our data revealed an upregulation of LY6E and TCN2 expression in PBMCs from patients with RSV infection. ROC analysis indicated that LY6E and TCN2 possessed diagnostic value for RSV infection. Finally, we confirmed that LY6E and TCN2 expression increased after RSV infection and further inhibited RSV infection in A549 and BEAS-2B cell lines. Importantly, based on TCN2, our findings revealed the antiviral properties of a potentially efficacious compound, vitamin B12.ConclusionLY6E and TCN2 are potential peripheral blood diagnostic biomarkers for pediatric RSV infection. LY6E and TCN2 inhibit RSV infection, indicating that LY6E and TCN2 are potential therapeutic target for RSV infection.

Changes in entire acute bronchiolitis seasons before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

Paediatric acute bronchiolitis normally occurs from October to April in the temperate northern hemisphere, peaking in January. Nonpharmacological measures to control the spread of COVID-19 resulted in a decrease in the number of cases of bronchiolitis during the 2020-21 season. The discontinuation of these measures created an uncertain scenario. To describe the epidemiological evolution of acute bronchiolitis seasons and the changes in the demographics of the affected population before, during, and after the implementation of nonpharmacological interventions for COVID-19 in Spain. This was a multicentre and descriptive study. A total of 6,334 infants aged up to 12 months who were diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis were recruited from sixteen Spanish hospitals. We collected data from participants from September 1st, 2021, through August 31st, 2023, as part of the ECEALHBA research project. The study periods were before (P1), during (P2), and after (P3) the COVID-19 pandemic. In P2 and after the discontinuation of nonpharmacological interventions, an unexpected increase in the number of acute bronchiolitis cases was observed from June-August 2021, resulting in an out-of-season peak. A subsequent peak was observed in November 2021, earlier than expected for the 2021-22 season. In the 2022-23 season, admissions followed a historical trend, with a greater number of cases than in the two previous seasons. Statistically significant differences in the length of stay (p<0.001), number of RSV infections (p=0.021), and number of paediatric intensive care unit admissions (p<0.001) were observed among the periods. Two out-of-season peaks in the number of acute bronchiolitis cases were observed in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. However, following the relaxation of nonpharmacological intervention measures, the peak observed in 2022-2023, although occurring 2-6 weeks earlier, was more similar to the peaks observed in the prepandemic seasons. Additionally, increased case severity was observed during these periods.

Real-world effectiveness of nirsevimab immunisation against bronchiolitis in infants: a case–control study in Paris, France

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of bronchiolitis in infants. Nirsevimab, an RSV-neutralising monoclonal antibody, was approved for use in the EU in 2022, and a national immunisation campaign began in France in September, 2023. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of nirsevimab in reducing paediatric emergency department visits (and subsequent hospitalisations) for all-cause bronchiolitis and RSV-associated bronchiolitis. In this case-control study in a paediatric emergency department in Paris, France, we included all infants aged 12 months or younger who attended the department between Oct 14, 2023, and Feb 29, 2024, and whose nirsevimab status was known. Infants were classed as cases if they had all-cause bronchiolitis; all other infants were classed as controls. The primary outcome was the effectiveness of nirsevimab against paediatric emergency department visits for all-cause bronchiolitis during the 2023-24 RSV season. Secondary outcomes were paediatric emergency department visits for RSV-associated bronchiolitis; hospitalisations for all-cause bronchiolitis, RSV-associated bronchiolitis, and severe RSV-associated bronchiolitis requiring supplemental oxygen or feeding by nasogastric tube; and severe RSV-associated bronchiolitis requiring admission to the paediatric intensive care unit. Effectiveness estimates were adjusted for age, week of paediatric emergency department visit, and sex. Our study included 2786 infants, 864 with all-cause bronchiolitis (cases) and 1922 without bronchiolitis (controls). 178 (21%) of the 864 cases had received nirsevimab, and 305 (35%) cases were hospitalised for all-cause bronchiolitis. 200 (72%) of the 277 cases tested for RSV were positive, of whom 22 (11%) had received nirsevimab. 701 (36%) of 1922 infants in the control group had received nirsevimab. The effectiveness of nirsevimab against paediatric emergency department visits for all-cause bronchiolitis was 47% (95% CI 33-58). Nirsevimab effectiveness was 83% (71-90) against paediatric emergency department visits for RSV-associated bronchiolitis, 59% (42-71) against hospitalisations for all-cause bronchiolitis, 83% (72-90) against hospitalisations for RSV-associated bronchiolitis (91% [78-96] against those necessitating supplement oxygen and 88% [74-95] against those necessitating feeding via a nasogastric tube). Nirsevimab did not significantly reduce admissions to the paediatric intensive care unit (67% [95% CI -100 to 95]). During the first French national immunisation campaign, a single dose of nirsevimab effectively reduced paediatric emergency department visits (both all-cause visits and visits related to RSV-associated bronchiolitis) and subsequent hospitalisations. None.

Evaluation of treatment response with serial CT in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease

ObjectivesIn patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD), the response to treatment is evaluated based on microbiological, clinical, and radiological data. However, little is known about the dynamics of CT findings. The aim of this study was to evaluate CT changes in NTM-PD in order to define radiological criteria for treatment success.MethodsRetrospective multicenter study (Hannover, Heidelberg, Gauting). Sixty patients with NTM-PD and at least two consecutive CT scans were included. Scoring for NTM-PD was performed by evaluating variables of bronchiectasis, mucus plugging, bronchiolitis, cavities, nodules, and consolidations on an ordinal scale from 0 to 3. Differences between baseline and follow-up were calculated, and patients with/without cultural conversion were compared using the Mann–Whitney U-test. For paired comparison of the two consecutive CT scans the Wilcoxon test was used.ResultsComparing patients with and without culture conversion, there were significant differences in temporal changes of bronchiectasis (p < 0.001), cavities (p = 0.006), bronchiolitis (p < 0.001), consolidations (p = 0.004), and total score (p < 0.001). Nodules showed no significant differences between groups (p = 0.060). The Wilcoxon test showed significant differences between both CTs in patients with a microbiological cure for the total score (p < 0.001), cavities (p = 0.005), bronchiolitis (p < 0.001), and consolidations (p = 0.021) with a decrease after microbiological cure, whereas bronchiectasis (p = 0.102) and nodules (p = 0.18) stayed stable. In the case of persistently positive cultures, there was an increase in the total score (p = 0.010) which was attributable to progressive bronchiectasis (p < 0.001).ConclusionCavities, consolidations, and bronchiolitis are useful to assess treatment response, whereas bronchiectasis and nodules may remain stable despite successful treatment.Clinical relevance statementCavities, consolidations, and bronchiolitis can assess treatment response whereas bronchiectasis and nodules may remain stable despite successful treatment. In persistently positive cultures, bronchiectasis showed an increase over time indicating that NTM-PD is a progressive chronic disease.Key PointsLittle is known about CT changes in nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) and criteria to evaluate treatment response.In the case of culture conversion, cavities and bronchiolitis decreased whereas bronchiectasis and nodules remained stable.Cavities and bronchiolitis can evaluate treatment response in NTM, but bronchiectasis and nodules may persist despite successful treatment.

Potential impact of nirsevimab and bivalent maternal vaccine against RSV bronchiolitis in infants: A population-based modelling study

BackgroundA new monoclonal antibody (nirsevimab; Beyfortus®) and a bivalent prefusion RSV vaccine (Abrysvo®) for maternal immunization have been approved recently. This is a modelling study to estimate the potential impact of different immunization programs with these products on RSV-bronchiolitis. MethodsPopulation-based real-world data from primary care and hospitalizations were considered. RSV bronchiolitis dynamics in absence of these immunization scenarios were explained by a multivariate age-structured Bayesian model. Then, the potential impact was simulated under different assumptions including the most recent clinical trial data. Differences in endpoints, populations, and timeframes between trials make the two products’ efficacy difficult to compare. ResultsA seasonal with catch-up program, assuming a constant effectiveness of 79.5 % during the first 5 months followed by a linear decay to 0 by month 10 with nirsevimab, would prevent between 5121 and 8846 RSV bronchiolitis per 100,000 infants-years. Assuming 77.3 % effectiveness with the same decay, between 976 and 1686 RSV-hospitalizations per 100,000 infants-years could be prevented depending on the uptake. A year-round maternal immunization program, with 51 % of effectiveness during the first 6 months followed by a linear decay to 0 by month 10 would prevent between 3246 and 5606 RSV bronchiolitis cases per 100,000 infants-years. Assuming 56.9 % effectiveness with the same decay, between 713 and 1231 RSV-hospitalizations per 100,000 infants-years could be prevented. ConclusionsOur results suggest that each strategy would effectively reduce RSV-bronchiolitis.

Nirsevimab Effectiveness Against Cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis Hospitalised in Paediatric Intensive Care Units in France, September 2023-January 2024.

In September 2023, France was one of the first countries that started a national immunisation campaign with nirsevimab, a new monoclonal antibody against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Using data from a network of paediatric intensive care units (PICUs), we aimed to estimate nirsevimab effectiveness against severe cases of RSV bronchiolitis in France. We conducted a case-control study based on the test-negative design and included 288 infants reported by 20 PICUs. We estimated nirsevimab effectiveness at 75.9% (48.5-88.7) in the main analysis and 80.6% (61.6-90.3) and 80.4% (61.7-89.9) in two sensitivity analyses. These real-world estimates confirmed the efficacy observed in clinical studies.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of hospitalized human metapneumovirus patients in Israel, 2015-2021: A retrospective cohort study.

This study evaluated the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection among hospitalized patients with acute respiratory infections during 2015-2021 and assessed the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on hMPV infection. A single-center, retrospective cohort study was performed, including pediatric and adult patients with laboratory-confirmed hMPV. Of a total of 990 patients, 253 (25.6%), 105 (10.6%), 121 (12.2%), and 511 (51.6%) belonged to age groups 0-2, 3-17, 18-59, and ≥60 years, respectively. The highest percentage (23.0%) of patients were hospitalized during 2019 and the lowest (4.7%) during 2020. Patients < 18 years experienced high rates of comorbidities (immunodeficiencies: 14.4% and malignancies: 29.9%). Here, 37/39 (94.9%) of all bronchiolitis cases were diagnosed in patients < 2 years, whereas more patients in older age groups were diagnosed with pneumonia. A greater proportion of hMPV patients diagnosed with viral coinfection (mostly respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus) were <18 years. The highest percentages of intensive care unit admissions were recorded among patients < 18 years. Our findings demonstrate that hMPV is an important cause of morbidity in young children and a possibly underestimated cause of morbidity among older adults.

Early Impact of Nirsevimab on Ambulatory All-Cause Bronchiolitis: A Prospective Multicentric Surveillance Study in France.

After implementation of nirsevimab in 2023 in France as compared with 2022-2023, we found a 52.7%, 95% CI [46.4-58.9]) decrease in all-cause bronchiolitis in children <3 months with the lowest number of bronchiolitis cases in this population since 2017.

Comparing Treatment with Nebulized 3% Hypertonic Saline Versus Nebulized 0.9% Saline In Patients With Acute Bronchiolitis: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To establish the therapeutic role of nebulized hypertonic saline solution in the management of acute bronchiolitis in terms of primary and secondary outcomes. Methods: This randomized control trial was conducted in the Pediatric department of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi for 8 months from September 2021 to April 2022 after ethical approval. A total of 65 cases of acute bronchiolitis were enrolled who were divided into two groups. The intervention group was nebulized with 3 ml of 3% hypertonic saline 6 hourly while the control group was nebulized with 0.9% saline 6 hourly during hospital stay in addition to the standard treatment. Children in both groups were monitored in terms of clinical severity score, feeding, hydration status, length of hospital stay, duration of oxygen supplementation, development of any adverse effect, and outcome (length of hospital stay and clinical severity score) was observed. Data was collected on a predesigned proforma, and SPSS version 21 was used to analyze the data. Results: Two groups were comparable for age, gender, and baseline characteristics including clinical severity score. Length of hospital stay was significantly less in the hypertonic saline group 75.53 ±43 .87 versus 45.92 ± 12.19 (p-value 0.000). Similarly, in patients requiring oxygen, treatment with hypertonic saline significantly reduced the duration of nebulization, 27.21 ±26.20 versus 10.67± 7.91 (p-value 0.03). However clinical severity score between the two groups was not different, 5.42 ± 2.88 in the saline group and 4.50 ± 2.88 p value 0.921. Conclusion: Nebulization with hypertonic saline reduces oxygen requirement and benefits in reducing the length of hospital stay. Keywords: Bronchiolitis, Hypertonic saline (HS), Normal saline (NS)

Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of a sample of Italian paediatricians towards RSV and its preventive strategies: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundRespiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection mainly affects newborns, infants and young children aged < 2 years. Since an RSV vaccine is in the European Medicines Agency’s waitlist validation, nowadays the prevention only includes passive immunization with monoclonal antibodies (mAb). In the present study we aimed at investigating Italian paediatricians’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards RSV and its prevention.MethodsFrom February to May 2023, an anonymous online questionnaire, with answers based on the Likert scale, was administered to a sample of Italian paediatricians’ members of the Italian Society of Paediatrics. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed using STATA 17.ResultsThe paediatricians who answered the questionnaire were 507, mostly women (70.6%), aged 30–45 (33.1%), employed in hospitals in 66.6% of cases. The 10.8% of respondents reported that RSV is transmitted only among children younger than 2 years of age and 80.33% of participants that school-age children are not at risk of developing severe forms of RSV disease. The 25% of participants thought that active immunization is currently available to prevent RSV infection and 35.7% that does not exist passive immunization to prevent RSV for infants and newborns aged < 2 years. The 97.5% of physicians managed bronchiolitis cases and 65.6% of participants did not prescribe the administration of mAb. Higher age, seniority and RSV knowledge score were found to be associated with having a higher mAb knowledge score (p < 0.001) and having a higher RSV knowledge was associated with a higher mAb knowledge score (p < 0.001). The logistic regression model found that the odds of a positive attitude towards mAB knowledge score increased by over 3 times (OR 3.23, 95% CI [1.41, 7.40], p = 0.006) for being female and the odds of a positive attitude towards mAB knowledge score increased by almost 10 times (OR 9.73, 95% CI [3.06, 30.89], p < 0.001) for a one-unit increase in RSV knowledge score.ConclusionsPaediatricians’ limited knowledge or awareness could represent a barrier to the implementation of preventive strategies against RSV infection. Strategies to improve paediatricians’ education on RSV prevention are, therefore, crucial.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis Before and After COVID-19 Pandemic: Has the Immunity Debt Been Paid Off?

Our aim was to hypothesize that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the characteristics of viral bronchiolitis by comparing the last 3 epidemics with 3 pre-COVID-19 epidemics in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis. We prospectively enrolled 637 consecutive infants (median age 3.0 ± 2.1 months, 58.5% males), hospitalized for bronchiolitis during 6 consecutive annual epidemic seasons from 2017 to 2023. All parents of the children were given a structured anamnestic questionnaire. A nasopharyngeal aspirate was tested for 15 respiratory viruses. As measures of severity, we evaluated the O 2 supplementation and the admission at the pediatric intensive care unit. A total of 166 were hospitalized with bronchiolitis in 2017-2018, 97 in 2018-2019, 69 in 2019-2020, 0 in 2020-2021, 129 in 2021-2022 and 176 in 2022-2023. Taking together the 332 bronchiolitis cases hospitalized during the 3 prepandemic seasons, they peaked between December and January; after the flat curve in 2020-2021, the cases of bronchiolitis peaked in November 2021 and in December 2022. While the 2021-2022 season registered a less severe clinical presentation, O 2 supplementation and pediatric intensive care unit admissions increased in 2022-2023 with respect to the prepandemic seasons ( P < 0.001). This study represents an important scientific demonstration of the impact of primary prevention measures on the epidemiology of viral infections; their fluctuations were related to the intensity of restrictive measures and to the changing trend of respiratory viruses. It is essential to predict the real temporal trend of bronchiolitis not to leave high-risk children uncovered and to guide hospitals to maintain a high level of readiness.