Magnesium sulphate for bronchiolitis: benefits and harms remain uncertain
A review in very young children found uncertain treatment effects and a possible increase in hospital readmissions compared with placebo.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review could not establish the benefits and harms of magnesium sulphate for acute bronchiolitis in very young children. Most results were highly uncertain, and no study measured recovery time. A placebo comparison suggested a possible increase in hospital readmission risk, but this was low-certainty evidence with a wide range of plausible relative effects.
Most outcomes had very low certainty because of bias concerns and severe imprecision. This abstract-based account also has little information about deaths or adverse events.
What researchers found
Hospital readmission within 30 days after discharge
In 158 children, estimated risk was 3.16 times the placebo risk, with an uncertainty range of 1.20 to 8.27 times. Evidence certainty was low; absolute readmission rates were not supplied.
Different treatment comparisons
The review examined magnesium sulphate alone and alongside other care. Its comparisons involved placebo, other treatments or the same background treatment without added magnesium, so they address different treatment questions.
Different outcomes remain unresolved
Readmission concerns returning to hospital after discharge. Recovery time was never measured, while evidence about hospital stay length and symptom severity was very uncertain. These outcomes therefore leave separate questions unresolved.
The original publication
Magnesium sulphate for treating acute bronchiolitis in children under two years of age.
Chandelia S, Kumar D, Tandon D et al.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41773552
- Record checked
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