[Perinatal history and hospitalization for bronchiolitis. A comparison with the impact-RSV Study Group].

AIM: To describe the rate of hospitalization for bronchiolitis among newborn infants in our environment, to evaluate the influence of prematurity and other perinatal conditions on hospitalization for bronchiolitis, and to compare our data with those of the Impact-RSV Study Group.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Descriptive studying based on analysis of the perinatal data of all neonates and patients hospitalized for bronchiolitis during a 3-year period.

RESULTS: Among 12,895 newborn infants, 455 (3.52 %) required hospitalization for bronchiolitis. The hospitalization rate for bronchiolitis was 3.18 % among term infants, 8.6 % among preterm infants, 9.8 % among infants with congenital heart disease and 21.1 % among preterm infants who required mechanical ventilation during the neonatal period. Intensive care unit admission was associated with postnatal age under 6 weeks (OR: 1.68; 95 % CI: 1.04-8.19; p 5 0.04) and prematurity (OR: 2,67; 95 % CI: 1.01-7.56; p 5 0.006). The hospitalization rate for bronchiolitis was 40 % lower in our neonatal population than in that of the Impact-RSV Study Group. When infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, congenital heart disease and mechanical ventilation during the neonatal period were excluded, the hospitalization rate for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was not significantly different between infants born at < weeks' gestation and those born at < 32 weeks' gestation and those born at 32-35 weeks' gestation (3.4% vs 4.3%; p>0.10).

CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal mechanical ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and congenital heart disease are more closely associated with hospitalization for RSV(1) bronchiolitis and mean length of stay than with gestational age.