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Three Part Question

In [patients who have nearly drowned] do [bronchodilators] provide [symptom relief]?

Clinical Scenario

A 23-year-old woman presents to the emergency department after falling into the canal. She was resuscitated at the scene and is now fully recovered, apart from seeming a little short of breath. You wonder if a bronchodilator would help with her symptoms.

Search Strategy

Medline 1946 to June week 2 2015 and Embase 1980 to 2015 week 25 using the OVID interface.
Medline: [exp Near Drowning/ OR exp Drowning/ OR drowning.mp. OR drown$.mp.] AND [bronchodilators.mp. OR exp bronchodilating agent OR salbutamol.mp. OR exp salbutamol/ OR exp ipratropium bromide plus salbutamol/ OR exp beclometasone dipropionate plus salbutamol/ OR exp salbutamol sulfate/] LIMIT to human AND English language.

Embase: [exp Near Drowning/ OR exp Drowning/ OR drowning.mp. OR drown$.mp.] AND [bronchodilators.mp. OR exp bronchodilating agent OR salbutamol.mp. OR exp salbutamol/ OR exp ipratropium bromide plus salbutamol/ OR exp beclometasone dipropionate plus salbutamol/ OR exp salbutamol sulfate/] LIMIT to human AND English language.

The Cochrane Library Issue 6 of 12 date of searching 04/07/2015 : MeSH descriptor: [Drowning] explode all trees.

Search Outcome

0 papers were found using the Medline search strategy and 27 using the Embase search strategy. However, no papers were found to be relevant to the 3 part question. No relevant reviews were found in the Cochrane library.

Comment(s)

There have been no studies or trials to determine whether bronchodilators provide symptom relief in patients after a drowning episode.

Editor Comment

BF

Clinical Bottom Line

There is no evidence to suggest bronchodilators provide effective symptom relief after near drowning.