4.1 Limits of the study
The survey design generates findings entirely based on recall over a previous calendar year. However, given the fact there has been no national or local implementation of a standardized bronchiolitis guideline, we can exclude with reasonable certainty that a significant change in clinical practice has occurred since the time our data were recorded. Furthermore, what physicians report and what they do in real clinical practice may often vary. Additionally, data were only collected from 234 paediatricians, but this denominator can not be definitively representative of all nation. Moreover, small sample sizes in some sites have limited our ability to investigate site-to-site variation. On the other hand, the solid response rate and the broad representation of sites across the whole country lend weight and credibility to our results.
5. Conclusions
There is a significant practice variation in the monitoring, treatment, and discharge of children suffering from acute bronchiolitis among Italians physicians. Future research is urgently required to define the best management of patients with bronchiolitis, optimize the use of therapeutic resources as well as implement strategies to standardize care and improve the quality of care.