Aim: To compare the mean decrease in respiratory distress assessment score after nebulization with salbutamol vs epinephrine in children with acute bronchiolitis.

Study Settings: Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar.

Study design & duration: Randomized Controlled Trial for six months from 13/6/2018 to 13/12/2018.

Methodology: In this study, 105 patients in each group were studied. Baseline RDAI score was calculated. All the patients were randomly divided in two groups. Children in group A were Nebulized with Epinephrine (0.1 ml/kg) while children in group B were with salbutamol nebulization (5mg/ml solution) ½ml+3ml normal saline repeated every hour. All children were reassessed at the end of 4th dose (4th hour) and RDAI were recalculated for all patients.

Results: In age of 2-12 months, 63% infants have nebulization with epinephrine and 70% cases with salbutamol while in age group 13-18 months, 37% cases nebulized with epinephrine and 30% infants with salbutamol. Mean±SD was 10.57±4.22 and 11.63±3.14 months respectively. Regarding sex, 60% males were nebulized with epinephrine and 53.3% with salbutamol while 40% females were nebulized with epinephrine and 46.7% cases with salbutamol. Mean RDAI at baseline was calculated as 11.57+2.21 with epinephrine and 11.3+2.14 with salbutamol and P value was 0.3695.

Conclusion: Mean reduction in RDAI with epinephrine nebulization is more as compared to nebulization with salbutamol in children of acute bronchiolitis.

Keywords: RDAI, nebulization, salbutamol, epinephrine, acute Bronchiolitis.