Prediction of the severity and length of hospital stay in infants with acute bronchiolitis using the severity score

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical factors that could influence the length of hospital stay (LHS) of infants with acute bronchiolitis using the bronchiolitis severity score (BSS). Methods: The medical records of 105 infants aged 0-12 months with acute bronchiolitis who were admitted to a tertiary hospital between December 2014 and May 2015 were reviewed. The BSS was composed 5 factors, namely general condition, wheezing, chest retraction, respiration rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation, which were evaluated at admission. In addition, the age of the infants, LHS, body weight, birth history, familial history, laboratory test result, chest X-ray, and treatment modalities were reviewed. Subjects were classified into 3 groups according to their BSS, and logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association of the BSS with longer LHS. Results: Among subjects, 62 were studied. Their mean LHS and age were 5.5 +/- 2.0 days and 3.9 +/- 2.7 months, respectively. Twelve infants were classified as mild (20.3%), 43 as moderate (68.8%), and 7 as severe (10.9%). Venous blood gas pH value and white blood cell count were the best predictors of disease severity. The LHS was associated with the BSS, age, body weight and pCO(2) by venous blood gas analysis (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The LHS was associated with the BSS, age, body weight, and pCO(2) by venous blood gas analysis at admission. The BSS could be a useful tool to predict disease severity and decide treatment strategies for infants with acute bronchiolitis who have no known risk factors.