Objective: To identify factors associated with the use of β2 agonist continuous nebulization in children treated for wheezing.
Materials and Methods: This was a case-control study of children aged 1 to 15 years admitted with wheezing to a general pediatric ward of Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital between January 2014 and November 2016. Data of wheezing children were collected from in-patient charts. Characteristic features of who had continuous nebulization (case) were compared to those who had intermittent nebulization (control).
Results: One hundred children (25 cases, 75 controls) were included in the present study. Oxygen saturation <95% on
admission and systemic corticosteroids use were independent risk factors for continuous nebulization with odds ratio [OR]
of 5.26 (95% CI: 1.86 to 14.83, p = 0.002) and 20.00 (95% CI: 1.92 to 99.98, p = 0.012) respectively. Subgroup analysis of participants in recurrent wheezing children (n = 43), only oxygen saturations <95% was an independent risk factor for
continuous nebulization with OR of 24.66 (95% CI: 3.70 to 164.62, p = 0.002).
Conclusion: Oxygen saturations <95% on admission and systemic corticosteroid use were independent risk factors for
continuous β2 agonist nebulization in wheezing children.

Keywords: β2 agonist continuous nebulization, Wheezing, Risk factors