Comparative Efficacy of Bronchiolitis Interventions in Acute Care: A Network Meta-analysis

Using NMA and the most recent trial evidence, we compare the effectiveness of treatments for bronchiolitis in children aged <= 2 years in this systematic review. CONTEXT: Uncertainty exists as to which treatments are most effective for bronchiolitis, with considerable practice variation within and across health care sites. OBJECTIVE: A network meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of common treatments for bronchiolitis in children aged <= 2 years. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, , and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched from inception to September 1, 2019. STUDY SELECTION: A total 150 randomized controlled trials comparing a placebo or active comparator with any bronchodilator, glucocorticoid steroid, hypertonic saline solution, antibiotic, helium-oxygen therapy, or high-flow oxygen therapy were included. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted by 1 reviewer and independently verified. Primary outcomes were admission rate on day 1 and by day 7 and hospital length of stay. Strength of evidence was assessed by using Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis . RESULTS: Nebulized epinephrine (odds ratio: 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.44 to 0.93, low confidence) and nebulized hypertonic saline plus salbutamol (odds ratio: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.23 to 0.84, low confidence) reduced the admission rate on day 1. No treatment significantly reduced the admission rate on day 7. Nebulized hypertonic saline (mean difference: -0.64 days, 95% CI: -1.01 to -0.26, low confidence) and nebulized hypertonic saline plus epinephrine (mean difference: -0.91 days, 95% CI: -1.14 to -0.40, low confidence) reduced hospital length of stay. LIMITATIONS: Because we did not report adverse events in this analysis, we cannot make inferences about the safety of these treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Although hypertonic saline alone, or combined with epinephrine, may reduce an infant's stay in the hospital, poor strength of evidence necessitates additional rigorous trials.