Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of pediatric patients with acute bronchiolitis hospitalized in a referral hospital

Abstract

Introduction. Acute bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants and represents a major burden for the public health system in Paraguay. Objective: To determine the clinical, sociodemographic, and outcome characteristics of pediatric patients hospitalized for bronchiolitis in the Emergency Department of the Hospital Nacional de Itauguá during 2023–2024. Materials and Methods. A retrospective observational study was conducted including 151 patients aged 0–24 months admitted with acute bronchiolitis. Demographic, clinical, and outcome variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results. Median age was 3 months (IQR: 2–6), with a male predominance (59.6%). Prematurity was recorded in 15.9% of patients. Hospital admissions peaked in winter (62.9%). Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) was the most frequently detected pathogen (31.1%), while no etiologic agent was identified in 49% of cases. According to the TAL scale, 62.3% had moderate severity, and 88.1% required oxygen therapy. Median hospital stay was 3 days (IQR: 2–4). Conclusion. Bronchiolitis predominantly affects male infants, especially those born prematurely, and follows a clear winter seasonal pattern. The high proportion of cases without etiologic diagnosis underscores the need to strengthen viral detection capacity, epidemiological surveillance, and clinical management strategies.