Acute bronchiolitis - before and after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Aim. This study aimed to assess the changes in the number of patients diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis, the forms of severity of the disease, and the management after the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and method. We included in the study children diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis between October 2019 and March 2020 and October 2022 and March 2023. It was a retrospective, descriptive, observational study. We collected the clinical data, investigations, and medication used from the medical records. Results. A total of 233 patients were included in the study: 98 patients in the pre-pandemic group and 135 patients in the post-pandemic group. There was a higher number of patients diagnosed in November and December in the post-COVID-19 group. There was a significant increase in the number of chest radiographs that were performed (p<0.0001). In the pre-COVID-19 group, a chest X-ray was performed in 23/98 (23.4%) children, and in the post-COVID-19 group, 105/135 (77.7%) children had a chest X-ray. Eight/98 patients (8.2%) associated pneumonia in the first group and 31/135 (22.9%) in the second group. Antibiotics were administered in the pre-pandemic group in 36/98 (36.7%) children, while in the post-pandemic group 66/135 (48.9%). Conclusions. There was a significant increase in X-rays performed after the COVID-19 pandemic in children with acute bronchiolitis. Overuse of investigations and medication in children with acute bronchiolitis, although not a new problem, might have been influenced by the measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with respiratory symptoms.