Are changes in practice a cause of the rising burden of bronchiolitis for paediatric intensive care units?
Résumé
Bronchiolitis, a characteristic entity of viral-induced respiratory disease in children younger than 2 years, is among the most pressing diseases affecting global child health. Although bronchiolitis causes major morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries, its case fatality rate has decreased to less than 1% in high-income countries with access to paediatric intensive care units (PICUs). With seasonal outbreaks, particularly due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), bronchiolitis puts a tremendous pressure on PICUs and their transfer teams. Annual admission numbers to PICUs have been increasing over the past 2 decades, as consistently reported in studies from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Canada, and the USA (table).