Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T02:00:59.116Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Myth: Cool mist is an effective therapy in the management of croup

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

James E. Colletti
James E. Colletti*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, and Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn
*
Assistant Residency Director, Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW, Rochester MN 55905 USA; [email protected]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Croup is the most common infectious cause of acute airway obstruction in children between 1 and 6 years of age, accounting for 90% of cases of stridor. The majority of cases of croup are caused by parainfluenza and occur during the late fall and winter. Mist has been a mainstay for croup since the 19th century and, even today, many emergency departments (EDs) routinely begin cool mist therapy for patients with croup. Further therapy of croup typically includes nebulized racemic epinephrine and corticosteroids.

Keywords

croupcool mist
Type
Medical Mythology • Mythes médicaux
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 6 , Issue 5 , September 2004 , pp. 357 - 358
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2004

References

1.Rothrock, SG, Perkin, R.Stridor: a review, update, and current management recommendations. Pediatric Emerg Med Rep 1996;1(4):29–39.Google Scholar
2.Sasaki, CT, Suzuki, M.The respiratory mechanism of aerosol inhalation in the treatment of partial airway obstruction. Pediatrics 1997;59(5):689–94.Google Scholar
3.O’Callaghan, C, Barry, PW.The science of nebulised drug delivery. Thorax 1997;52(suppl):S31–44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Neto, GM, Kentab, O, Klassen, TP, Osmond, MH.A randomized controlled trial of mist in the acute treatment of moderate croup. Acad Emerg Med 2001;9(9):873–9.Google Scholar
5.Lavine, E, Scolnik, D.Lack of efficacy of humidification in the treatment of croup: Why do physicians persist in using an unproven modality? Can J Emerg Med 2001;3(3):209–12.Google Scholar
6.Ho, SL, Coates, AL.The effect of dead volume on the efficiency and the cost to deliver medications in cystic fibrosis with four disposable nebulizers. Can Respir J 1999;6:253–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Lenney, W, Milner, AD.Treatment of acute viral croup. Arch Dis Child 1978;53(9):704–6.Google Scholar
8.Bourchier, D, Dawson, KP, Fergusson, DM.Humidification in viral croup: a controlled trial. Aust Paediatr J 1984;20(4):289–91.Google ScholarPubMed
9.Wolfsdorf, J, Swift, DL.An animal model simulating acute infective upper airway obstruction of childhood and its use in the investigation of croup therapy. Pediatr Res 1978;12(11):1062–5.Google Scholar
10.Szilagyi, PG.Humidifiers and other symptomatic therapy for children with respiratory tract infections. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1991;10:478–9.Google Scholar