Impact of breastfeeding on ICU admissions and need for mechanical ventilation in infants younger than 6 months with RSV+ bronchiolitis. An observational study.

INTRODUCTION: This work aimed to analyze whether breastfeeding is a predictive factor for admission to ICU or needing mechanical ventilation in children under 6 months with RSV+ respiratory infection.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed in three hospitals. Binary and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association of variables with admission to the ICU or receiving mechanical ventilation.

RESULTS: We analyzed 414 admissions, of which 293 (70.8%) had received breastfeeding, 43 (8.1%) were admitted to the ICU, and 26 (5.4%) required mechanical ventilation. Bivariate analysis showed that breastfeeding for at least 15 days and a longer duration of breastfeeding were associated with a lower risk of admission to the ICU and requiring mechanical ventilation. Multivariate analysis showed that not having been breastfed for at least 1 month was predictive of ICU admission; not having been breastfed for at least 2 months was predictive of needing mechanical ventilation.

CONCLUSIONS: Breastfeeding for as little as 15-28 days could be associated with a lower risk of ICU admission and requiring mechanical ventilation in infants younger than 6 months admitted for RSV+ bronchiolitis. Since breastfeeding is one of the few protective factors that can be promoted, this finding is relevant for current clinical practice and the development of health promotion programs. Future studies can compare their results to ours.