Abstract
Introduction: In Italy bronchiolitis season begins in October. SARS-COV-2 containment measures impacted respiratory infections, but literature is scarce.
Aims and objectives: Explore effects of SARS-COV-2 containment measures on bronchiolitis onset, hospitalization trend, aetiology and severity in comparison of the two previous years of Pre-COVID-19 Era.
Methods: We retrospectively studied all infants (≤ 1 year) hospitalized at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital for PCR confirmed bronchiolitis, between the 1st-September and the 31st-December in 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Results: Bronchiolitis onset season did not occur significantly later this year (Log-rank test p=0.93). However, frequency of hospitalization differed significantly, with only 5 patients in 2020 compared to 36 in 2019 and 2018 (86.2% reduction). The length-of-stay in 2020 was shorter 2.6±0.5 days compared to 4.8±3.6 in 2019, and 4.6±3.3 in 2018 (p=0.02 for both). Last year oxygen supplementation was never prescribed, differently from 2019 (1.7±3.1; p=0.018) and 2018 (0.2±0.4; p=0.028). No patient needed ICU in 2020; 4 patients (11%) in 2019 and 1 (3%) in 2018. According to aetiology: in 2020 Rhinovirus accounted for all cases, 11 cases (31%) in 2019 and 9 (25%) in 2018. No RSV was identified; while 20 cases and 12 cases were identified in 2018 and 2019.
Conclusions: Epidemic season did not start yet at 31st-December 2020 presumably due to SARS-COV-2 containment measures. Shorter length-of-stay and less days on oxygen suggests less severe disease possibly consequence of viral load reduction due to COVID-19 measures or the lack of RSV. Rhinovirus was already reported as not affected by COVID-19 containment measures in older patients.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, OA2963.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021