Variation in the Use of Mechanical Ventilation and Medications for Pediatric Status Asthmaticus

Abstract

Purpose: Practice variation exists in the management of children with status asthmaticus. There are no explicit recommendations for the intensive treatment of asthma, particularly for the use of invasive and non-invasive positive pressure ventilation. Our purpose was to describe national practice and trends in the use of invasive positive pressure ventilation (IPPV), non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NiPPV), and second-line medications; and, to report treatment complications for children with status asthmaticus. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children ages 2-18 years admitted with status asthmaticus to 46 pediatric hospitals participating in the Pediatric Health Information System from 2010 to 2015. We excluded children who had complex chronic conditions, no asthma …