Prevalencia de Bronquiolitis Aguda en pacientes pediátricos menores de 5 años atendidos en el Hospital del Norte de Guayaquil Los Ceibos durante el período 2024 - 2025.

Abstract

Acute Bronchiolitis is a viral infection that primarily affects children under 5 years of age, being more common in infants under 2 years of age. It is caused by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and causes bronchial inflammation, generating cough, wheezing, and respiratory distress. Objective: To determine the prevalence of Acute Bronchiolitis in pediatric patients under 5 years of age treated at the General Hospital of Northern Guayaquil Los Ceibos during the period 2024 - 2025. Methodological Design: Quantitative, descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional study. Population: 708 pediatric patients with Acute Bronchiolitis treated at the General Hospital of Northern Guayaquil Los Ceibos. Technique: Indirect observation. Instrument: Indirect observation matrix. Results: Pediatric patients did not present an identified specific cause of Acute Bronchiolitis (86%). The children were aged 0 to 11 months (85%), male (68%), and had no vaccination history (68%). Among the clinical manifestations, they presented mostly nasal flaring (15%), pulling (13%), whining (11%) and oxygen saturation less than 92% (11%). Among the factors, being less than six months old predominated (46%). As treatment they received oxygen therapy (33%) and corticosteroids (29%). Conclusion: In the Hospital General Norte de Guayaquil IESS Ceibos, the analysis revealed a prevalence of 4.61% of acute bronchiolitis in pediatric patients during the period from January 2024 to January 2025. These findings highlight the need for preventive strategies and timely management to reduce complications in affected patients.