Ribavirin and Severe RSV Bronchiolitis

The authors analyzed 41 consecutive infants less than 1 year of age from Saint-Justine Hospital, Quebec, Canada, (1994–1997) with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) who required mechanical ventilation (MV). All subjects were previously well and did not have chronic lung disease, immune deficiency, or heart disease. All children were randomized within 24 hours of mechanical ventilation and received either nebulized, normal saline or 16 hours a day of ribavirin, 20mg/ml, with a nebulizer for up to 7 days or until extubated, whichever came first. The patients in each group were of similar age (62 days ± 36 in the Ribavirin group and ± 31 in the placebo …