[Respiratory failure in infants with acute bronchiolitis (author's transl)].

From 1974 until April 1977 232 babies with acut bronchiolitis were hospitalized at the Landeskinder-krankenhaus Linz. They represented 8% of all babies admitted to the ward during this period. 9 (= 3,9%) of these were sucessfully mechanically ventilated because of respiratory failure. A pCO2 level above 60 mm Hg was taken as an sign of respiratory insufficiency. By application of artificial ventilation mortality rate of acut bronchiolitis can further be decreased.