The proposed study is a pilot randomized control trial to determine the efficacy of dexamethasone use in hospitalized children who are less than 2 years of age with non-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis admitted to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh from February 1 to May 31, 2022. It is hypothesized that the use of standard airway-dose steroids (0.6mg/kg dexamethasone) will improve the clinical outcome of children hospitalized for non-RSV bronchiolitis, which will be evident by decreased length of stay.
The study will take place at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh with patients admitted to the general pediatric service. The attending physician on the clinical service team will identify patients diagnosed with bronchiolitis. If the participant meets inclusion and exclusion criteria, a member from the study team will then meet with the participant's family to discuss the study and obtained informed consent. A participant may have had a rapid RSV/influenza testing already complete for clinical purposes. If this has been done, participants will be asked to obtain a secondary nasopharyngeal swab so that it may be tested for a full respiratory viral panel for statistical stratification. Once rapid testing is obtained and results are negative for both RSV and influenza, the participant will then be randomized to either the intervention (dexamethasone) or control (placebo) arm of the study. Study members will calculate a modified Tal score (MTS) at time of consent and then 12-24 hours after medication administration. Throughout admission, participants will also receive standard of care for bronchiolitis, which may include regular vital sign evaluation, supplemental oxygen, intravenous fluids or nasogastric tube feedings, and anti-pyretic therapy. Because this is a pilot study, the study will be underpowered, however, this study will provide data that will allow the investigators to estimate the sample size needed for a future study. The number of time points to be used for the generalized estimating equation can be determined ad hoc to include a reasonably balanced sample to make the comparison valid.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
3
Sugar water based on same ml dosing of intervention arm drug
0.6mg/kg/dose - single oral dose administration to intervention arm
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Hospital Length of Stay
Measurement of hospital length of stay in hours
Time frame: Admission vitals through discharge paperwork printing time, average of 24-96 hours
Severity of Bronchiolitis
Measurement of reducing severity of bronchiolitis by assessment with modified TAL score (MTS)
Time frame: Will obtain MTS upon admission by chart view or, if unable, at time of enrollment, and compare to MTS obtained 12 hours after medication administration
Severity of Bronchiolitis
Measurement of reducing severity of bronchiolitis by assessment with modified TAL score (MTS)
Time frame: Will compare respiratory assessment via MTS 12 hours after admission and at discharge, average of 24-96 hours from admission
Severity of Bronchiolitis
Measurement of reducing severity of bronchiolitis by evaluation of patient outcome - discharge, transfer to ICU or acute care floor
Time frame: Admission to time of discharge to home or transfer to ICU or acute care floor, usual time frame is 24-72 hours
7-day Same-Cause Revisit Rate
Measuring number of revisits to the primary care physician or emergency room or re-admission to the hospital for ongoing bronchiolitis related symptoms within 7 days of discharge
Time frame: Discharge to 7 days
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