Swallowing and Respiratory Distress in Hospitalized Patients with Bronchiolitis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of airway and/or pulmonary food or saliva aspiration in infants with moderate respiratory distress who are hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis. This prospective, descriptive study was conducted during two epidemic RSV seasons at the Ricardo Gutiérrez Children’s Hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Included were otherwise healthy infants in their first wheezing episode with a modified Tal clinical score between 5 and 9. Swallowing was evaluated using a dynamic technetium-99 m colloid radionuclide salivagram using a gamma camera, followed by video fluoroscopy using nonionic and ionic contrast material. Fifteen patients (7 boys) were included. Age at evaluation (mean ± SD) was 4.3 ± 1.5 months; clinical score was 7.5 ± 1.4. Patients required (mean ± SD) supplemental oxygen and hospitalization 7.5 ± 3.7 and 8.8 ± 4.3 days, respectively. All technetium-99 m salivagram (10/10, as the gamma camera equipment was out of service during part of the study) and video fluoroscopy (15/15) studies were normal. No episodes of aspiration or laryngeal penetration were detected in any patient. Our study found that infants hospitalized with moderate respiratory distress due to RSV bronchiolitis did not show aspiration.