Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
4-13-2023
Abstract
Background: Acute viral bronchiolitis is the most common reason for hospitalization of infants less than 2 years of age in the United States with ~130,000 admissions per year. Numerous treatments have been evaluated to prevent symptoms and long-term respiratory effects in infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis, but no effective strategies have been identified to date. Air pollution is associated with respiratory symptoms and disease, most notably in sensitive populations, and is a key intervention target. Portable air cleaners utilizing HEPA filters are proven to reduce fine particulate matter and other air pollutants and have been associated with improvement in respiratory outcomes such as asthma in children and COPD in adults.
Methods: Childrenfilters, or a unit containing no filters. At the time of discharge, the participant will be given air quality monitors and shipped either 1 or 2 air purifier units depending on home size. Participants will set up air quality monitors to acquire a baseline of home air quality prior to enabling the HEPA air filtration unit. Daily participants will track the observed respiratory symptoms of their child and will submit these recordings in a weekly survey.
Data: The current study plans to enroll 218 participants across the ISPCTN sites with 1:1 allocation to receive active HEPA filtration.
Conclusion: There is currently no identified effective secondary prevention for Bronchiolitis. With known long-term health and cost consequences, ISPCTN seeks to identify possible prevention targets. With air pollutants known to increase inflammation in multiple other respiratory illnesses, reduction of air pollutants may show improvement in symptom-free days among infants recently hospitalized for bronchiolitis.
Recommended Citation
Winter, Dane G.; Sarah Sanders; Sandra Beauman; Elizabeth Kuan; Nicole Salazar; Hengameh Raissy; and Kristin Raschke. "The BREATHE Study: Bronchiolitis Recovery and the Use of High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filters." (2023). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/hsc_2023_pediatric_research/3
Comments
Poster presented at Pediatric Research Forum