Patterns of Use of β-2 Agonists, Steroids, and Mucoactive Medications to Treat Bronchiolitis in the PICU: U.S. Pediatric Health Information System 2009–2022 Database Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Describe β2-agonists, steroids, hypertonic saline (HTS), n-acetylcysteine (NAC), and dornase alfa (DA) use to treat bronchiolitis, factors associated with use, and associations between use and PICU length of stay (LOS). DESIGN: Retrospective, multicenter cohort study. SETTING: PICUs in the Pediatric Health Information System database. PATIENTS: PICU admitted children 24 months young or younger with bronchiolitis. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We analyzed 47,520 hospitalizations between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2022. We calculated the rate of medication use overall and the median (range) rate for each hospital: β2-agonist (24,984/47,520 [52.6%]; median hospital, 51.7% [21.4–81.7%]), steroid (15,878/47,520 [33.4%]; median hospital, 33.4% [6.0–54.8%]), HTS (7,041/47,520 [14.8%]; median hospital, 10.5% [0–66.1%]), NAC (1,571/47,520 [3.3%]; median hospital, 0.8% [0–22.0%], and DA (840/47,520 [1.8%]; median hospital, 1.4% [0–13.6%]). Logistic regression using generalized estimating equations (GEEs) identified associations between concurrent asthma and β2-agonist (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.68; 95% CI, 7.08–10.65; p < 0.001) and steroid (aOR, 10.10; 95% CI, 8.84–11.53; p < 0.001) use. Mechanical ventilation was associated with all medications: β2-agonists (aOR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.57–2.04; p < 0.001), steroids (aOR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.69–3.21; p < 0.001), HTS (aOR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.47–2.25; p < 0.001), NAC (aOR, 3.29; 95% CI, 2.15–5.03; p < 0.001), and DA (aOR, 7.65; 95% CI, 4.30–13.61; p < 0.001). No medication was associated with decreased PICU LOS. To assess changes in medication use over time and associations with the 2014 American Academy of Pediatrics bronchiolitis guidelines, we expanded our analysis to 83,820 hospitalizations between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2022. Logistic regression with GEEs found no change in β2-agonist use; steroid use increased after guideline publication (aOR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01–1.10; p = 0.02), HTS use changed from increasing prior to the guidelines (aOR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.11–1.56; p = 0.001) to stable since guideline publication (aOR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.81–1.07; p = 0.33). CONCLUSIONS: β2-agonists, steroids, and HTS are commonly, but variably used for PICU bronchiolitis treatment. Medication use appears relatively stable over the last decade.