OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy of fluticasone propionate aerosol (flixotide) versus budesonide suspension in the treatment of recurrent wheezing caused by bronchiolitis.

METHODSA total of 214 infants with newly diagnosed bronchiolitis were randomly divided into flixotide treatment (106 infants) and budesonide treatment groups (108 infants), and were given aerosol inhalation of flixotide or budesonide for 3 months after achieving remission of clinical symptoms. Another 136 infants with bronchiolitis who did not receive regular inhalation of corticosteroid after achieving remission of clinical symptoms were enrolled as the control group. The follow-up visits were performed for 1 year, and the effects of the two therapeutic methods on recurrent wheezing were evaluated.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, both the flixotide and budesonide treatment groups had significantly fewer times of wheezing episodes within 1 year and a significantly lower recurrence rate of wheezing within the first 3 months after regular inhalation of corticosteroid, but no significant differences were observed between the two treatment groups. The amount of corticosteroid inhaled and hospital costs in the budesonide treatment group were significantly higher than in the flixotide treatment group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSContinuous inhalation of flixotide or budesonide after remission of clinical symptoms in children with bronchiolitis can reduce wheezing episodes and the recurrence of wheezing, and flixotide treatment is superior to budesonide treatment in the aspects of hospital costs and the amount of corticosteroid used.