ABSTRACT

Bronchiolitis is the most common lower respiratory tract disease in infants. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between predisposing factors and the number of applications to a hospital because of recurrent episodes of bronchiolitis.

A questionnaire was administered to 0–2-year-olds infants of 220 families who applied to the pediatrics emergency department because of recurrent bronchiolitis episodes. Data were obtained from a questionnaire that was administered by the researcher. In these forms, the number of rooms in their house, number of individuals living in the house, parents’ age, smoking status, education and occupation, and average income of the family were recorded. Duration of breastfeeding and history of recurrent episodes of bronchiolitis were questioned. Children’s height and weight were also measured.

In the study, 123 (55.9%) children were male and 97 (44.1%) were female. The mean age was 9.53±5.97 months. The mean number of admission to the hospital was 4.34±6.55, and the beginning of wheezing was 4.87±4.20 months. The mean number of individuals living in the house were 5.52±2.75, and the mean number of room in the house were 3.14±0.63.The mean age of mothers was 28.12±4.89 years, and the mean age of fathers was 31.86±5.25 years. It was observed that in infants with breastfeeding time <4 months, hospitalization episodes were more than others. There was a significant relationship between children’s height and weight percentiles, mother’s and father’s education, child’s breastfeeding duration, season and number of previous hospitalization between the number of hospitalization episodes.

The mortality rate was 0.5% in infants with bronchiolitis, but in some infants who had risk factors, this rate increased over 3%. Knowing the risk factors for acute bronchiolitis and raising awareness in families regarding this issue are important. (JAREM 2016; 6: 40-4)

Keywords: Bronchiolitis, infant, predisposition factors