INTRODUCTION: Acute bronchiolitis is the most common lower respiratory tract infection in infants and toddlers concerning small bronchi or bronchioli. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the incidence of acute bronchiolitis and the use of β(2)-agonists between two different decades.MATERIAL AND METHODS: During 1990-1991 and 2001-2002, the files of the 2(nd) Paediatric Emergency Department of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital were reviewed and cases of acute bronchiolitis were recorded and analysed.RESULTS: During 1990-1991, 14 538 children were identified with respiratory infections and bronchiolitis was diagnosed in 519/14 538 children (3.56%). Only 34 out of 519 patients received nebulised salbutamol (6.6%) and 221/519 were hospitalized (42.6%). During 2001-2002, 9001 children were found to have respiratory tract infections and acute bronchiolitis was diagnosed in 641/9001 of them (7.12%). In total, 411/641 children (64.1%) received salbutamol and ipratropium, and 89/641 patients (13.88%) were hospitalized. There was a predominance of male sex in both decades (p = 0.509). There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) concerning the use of nebulised salbutamol with nebulised ipratropium between the two decades. Finally, during 2001-2002, the use of bronchodilators with or without corticosteroids was more frequent and it appears to be correlated with the reduced number of admissions to hospital (p < 0.05) compared with 1990-1991.CONCLUSIONS: There was an increase in the incidence of acute bronchiolitis during the last decade. The admission rate decreased probably due to the use of nebulized salbutamol and ipratropium, but further multicentre comparative trials are required to define the role of bronchodilators in the treatment of acute bronchiolitis.