Incidence of acute viral bronchiolitis in the pediatric intensive care unit of a university hospital in 2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69849/dv20g978Keywords:
bronchiolitis, pediatric intensive care unit, Respiratory Syncytial VirusesAbstract
Introduction: Acute viral bronchiolitis (AVB) is a common respiratory infection in children under two years of age, particularly between 6 and 12 months, with the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) as the main etiologic agent and a well-defined seasonal pattern. Objectives: To analyze the incidence of AVB in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of the Western Paraná University Hospital (HUOP) during the year 2020. Methods: This is a descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study approved by the UNIOESTE Ethics Committee. A total of 159 medical records of patients admitted to the PICU between January and December 2020 were analyzed. Data were collected from the unit’s logbook and electronic medical records. Descriptive statistics, including means and frequencies, were used for data analysis. Results: In 2020, 159 admissions occurred in the PICU, of which only two were due to AVB, both recorded in the last quarter of the year. Respiratory diseases were the leading cause of admission (26%), followed by neurological conditions (23%) and polytrauma with traumatic brain injury (TBI) (16%). The two infants with AVB were male, required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and oxygen therapy, and had rhinovirus identified as the etiologic agent. Conclusion: The incidence of AVB in the HUOP PICU was notably low in 2020, possibly influenced by the social distancing and preventive measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which also altered the seasonality of viral circulation. The admission profile remained predominantly respiratory and indicated an increase in trauma-related cases.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rebeca Ferreira Dias, Carmen Lucia Rondon Soares, Helenara Salvati Bertolossi Moreira, Amaury Cezar Jorge, Claudia Rejane Lima de Macedo Costa, Erica Fernanda Osaku (Autor)
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