Epinephrine and Dexamethasone in Children with Bronchiolitis

In infancy, bronchiolitis is the most common acute infection of the lower respiratory tract, characterized by rhinorrhea, cough, wheezing, respiratory distress, and hypoxemia,1,2 and is most often caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Hospital admissions for bronchiolitis have almost doubled over the past 10 to 15 years in both Canada and the United States.3,4 In the United States, annual hospital costs for RSV-associated bronchiolitis were estimated at $365 million to $691 million in 1998.5 The current treatment of bronchiolitis is controversial. Bronchodilators and corticosteroids are widely used but not routinely recommended.6 A meta-analysis of the treatment effects . . .