Clinical predictors of nasal continuous positive airway pressure requirement in acute bronchiolitis

Abstract

We have identified clinical variables that were predictive of nCPAP requirement in infants admitted to our unit with bronchiolitis, oxygen requirement in the ED being the strongest single predictor. This is the first such study in the UK, and we hope it may be a starting point for further work that may provide an evidence base to aid clinicians in predicting the use of nCPAP in infants with bronchiolitis.