Solís SKF, Bañuelos OCR, Rocha MJ, Andersson LL

Language: Spanish
References: 11
Page: 169-174
PDF size: 214.50 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Asthma exacerbations are the third cause of admission and morbility in the pediatric population. The emergency approach of the acute asthmatic exacerbation is dynamic and addressed to enhance the management, and its resolution, reducing the hospitalization time and treatment cost. Objective: To describe the clinical and therapeutic characteristics of pediatric patients with acute asthma admitted to a Pediatric Emergency Department. Methods: Review of children with asthmatic exacerbations at the pediatric emergency department from 2005 to 2010. Results: There were 104 patients with asthmatic exacerbations, with a total of 135 events. The most commonly observed symptoms were respiratory distress (91%) and cough (76%). Eighty seven percent of the patients presented moderate wheeze, only 3% loud wheeze, and 13% abscence of wheeze (respiratory silence). The severity of the exacerbation were 45.9% mild, 45.2% moderate and 8.9% severe. All the patients were treated with inhaled albuterol. The conventional treatment of moderate exacerbations was with inhaled albuterol and IV steroids, with subsequent use of second line drugs for moderate-severe and severe cases. Conclusions: There are about 35 cases of acute asthma exacerbations per year. Fast breathing, respiratory distress and low oxygen saturation where enough data to clinically classify asthma severity. In 74% of the patients the ideal treatment for the severity of the exacerbation was given.

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