Efficacy of Lavender Essential Oil Chest Wraps in Infants With Bronchiolitis

University Hospitals (UH)

Status and phase: Enrolling; Phase 4

Conditions: Bronchiolitis

Treatments: Other: Control; Drug: Lavender essential oil 10%, diluted in 90% olive oil

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06108648

2022-01116

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if lavender essential oil chest wraps relieve cough in infants with bronchiolitis compared to standard care. Furthermore, the researchers will evaluate if breathing difficulties, nighttime awakening and impact on parents will be improved by the lavender oil chest wraps. Infants will be randomized to receive standard care with the addition of lavender oil chest wraps or to receive standard care alone. The study will take place in two locations in Switzerland, at the Geneva University Hospital and the Fribourg Cantonal Hospital.

Enrollment: 400 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: Under 11 months old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Bronchiolitis: clinical diagnosis based on the combination of respiratory distress (tachypnea, grunting, nasal flaring, retractions, and/or need for supplementary oxygen) and fine crackles sometimes accompanied by wheezing on auscultation.
• Hospitalization.
• Written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with underlying diseases that impact respiratory or heart function (congenital heart disease, congenital malformation of the lung or airway system and severe chronic lung disease).
• More than 3 episodes of bronchiolitis.
• Critically ill infants who have an immediate need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission.
• Respiratory deterioration needing Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or transfer to ICU during study enrollment.
• Atopic dermatitis, eczema or other skin lesions (particularly on the chest).
• Oncologic disease.
• Premature infants with mild bronchopulmonary dysplasia will not be excluded.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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400 participants in 2 patient groups

Lavender oil

Experimental group

Description:

Lavender chest wrap: Before the first application pour 10-15 ml of lavender essential oil 10% evenly on the cotton cloth. Put the soaked cotton in the plastic bag, close it and put it to heat in two heating pads (2-5 minutes) so that the oil is distributed on all the fabric. Place the cotton cloth around the patient's chest. Cover the cotton cloth with a woolen fabric that is 2 cm larger than the cotton cloth.

Treatment:

Drug: Lavender essential oil 10%, diluted in 90% olive oil

Control

Active Comparator group

Description:

Standard care: supportive measures according to national standards.

Treatment:

Other: Control