Hypertonic saline solution – the only clinically effective treatment for bronchiolitis

New ERS/ISAM* consensus statement on hypertonic saline solution

The effectiveness of nebulised 3% saline solution – when used either in isolation or in combination with substances that dilate the bronchioles – was previously confirmed in a Cochrane Review in 2008¹. Various studies conducted on a sample of almost 600 patients demonstrated the positive effect of 3% saline solution as a treatment for bronchiolitis (inflammation of the bronchioles, the tiniest branches of the bronchial tree)^2,3.

Now, the ERS/ISAM Task Force has confirmed, in its new guidelines for inhalation therapies, that 3% hypertonic saline solution is the only agent to be clinically effective in the treatment of bronchiolitis.  Nebulisation with a 3% saline solution, administered on an in-patient or out-patient basis, resulted in a direct alleviation of the symptoms of bronchiolitis⁴.Hospital stays were also significantly shortened^2,5.    

The solution from PARI is MucoClear 3%.                                

^{*Eur Respir J. 2011 Jun;37(6):1308-31.Epub 2011 Feb 10.}

 

Fig. 1: The young bronchiolitis patients showed considerable improvement after just 30 minutes of inhalation therapy with 3% saline solution. (n=52 Ø 2.9 ± 2.1 months). The difference between this outcome and the results from the control group is significant⁴

[1] Zhang et al. Cochrane Database; Syst. Rev. 2008; 8(4), CD 006458

[2]Sarell et al. Chest. 2002; 122(6): 2015

[3] Grewal et al. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009; 163(11):1007-1012

[4] Mandelberg et al. Chest. 2003; 123(2):48

[5] Tal et al. Med Assoc J 2006;8(3):169