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Bronchiolitis discharge criteria cut length of stay
Criteria for Safe Hospital Discharge in Bronchiolitis: A Systematic Review
Emergency Medicine Australasia · Added 4 September 2026
Systematic review for the binational guideline update on discharge criteria for infants under 12 months with bronchiolitis — two retrospective studies (N=2,697) found structured discharge criteria significantly shortened length of stay with no difference in readmissions (low-to-very-low certainty), and informed the 2025 Australasian Bronchiolitis Guideline covering clinical stability, oxygen saturation/support, feeding, caregiver confidence, social factors and follow-up.
- Study type
- Systematic review
- Design
- Systematic review informing guideline update
- Participants
- Two retrospective observational studies, 2,697 infants under 12 months with bronchiolitis
- Main finding
- Both studies found structured discharge criteria significantly reduced length of stay with no significant difference in readmission rates; evidence certainty low to very low. Informed the 2025 Australasian Bronchiolitis Guideline discharge criteria.
- Caveat
- Only two retrospective studies with low to very low certainty evidence
- Bottom line
- Supports current practice
Why it matters in Australia (Medium relevance). hospital ED/inpatient decision-making rather than on-road practice, but directly Australasian and shapes the pathway for infants we transport
Learning goal
Strengthen my judgement on when infants with bronchiolitis are safe for hospital discharge using structured clinical criteria.
More
- Topic: Paediatrics
- Daily scan: 4 September 2026
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