Asthma Exacerbations In Emergency Department Research Articles

Effects of short-term exposure to particulate matter on emergency department admission and hospitalization for asthma exacerbations in Brescia district

ABSTRACT Background: Rising pollution plays a crucial role in worsening several respiratory diseases. Particulate Matter (PM)-induced asthma exacerbations are one of the most dangerous events. Objectives: To assess the correlation between progressive particulate matter short-term exposure and asthma exacerbations, we investigated the role of PM levels on Emergency Department (ED) admissions and hospitalizations for these events in Brescia, an important industrial city located in northern Italy with high yearly levels of air pollution. Methods: We analyzed 1050 clinical records of ED admissions for suspected asthma exacerbation, starting from January 2014 to December 2017. Daily PM levels were collected from the Environmental Protection Regional Agency. We performed a time-series analysis using a Poisson regression model with single and multiple day-lag. Results were expressed as Relative Risk (RR) and Excess of Relative Risk (ERR) of severe asthma exacerbation over a 10µg/m3 increase in PM10 and PM2.5 concentration. Results: We selected and focused our analysis on 543 admissions for indisputable asthma exacerbation in ED and hospital. The time-series study showed an increase of the RR (CI95%) for asthma exacerbation-related ED admissions of 1.24 with an ERR of 24.2% for PM2.5 at lag0-1 (p < 0.05). We also estimated for PM2.5 a RR (CI95%) of 1.12 with an ERR of 12.5% at lag0-5 (p ≤ 0.05). Again, for PM2.5, an increase of the RR (CI95%) for asthma exacerbation-related hospitalizations of 1.31 with an ERR of 30.7% at lag0-1 (p < 0.05) has been documented. These findings were confirmed and even reinforced considering only the population living in the city. Conclusions: Short-term PM exposure, especially for PM2.5, plays a critical role in inducing asthma exacerbation events leading to ED admission or hospitalization.

Clinical guidelines on pediatric asthma exacerbation in emergency department, a narrative review.

Asthma has been known as a prevalent chronic-type inflammatory disease in children, because of their narrower respiratory airways. The present study aimed to identify guidelines for children asthma treatments. Extensive research was conducted on biomedical and pharmacological bibliographic database PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, LILACS database, global independent network of Cochrane, Science Direct and global health library of Global Index Medicus. A comprehensive literature review was carried out using the terms Pediatric Asthma, epidemiology, management, and related clinical guidelines published from 2000 to 2019. After the primary assessment, quick diagnosis, clinical practice guidelines are useful tools for proper management of pediatric Asthma. By setting proper guidelines for this particular population, a higher improvement in quality of management of of pediatric Asthma is expected. Given the differences between the recommendations arisen by BTS/SIGN and NICE guidelines, critical comparison of the evidence-base guidelines provide suggestions that have more in common than what might seems at the first glance. The analysis of the variations presented in the present article will assist clinicians to make accurate decisions regarding their patients.

Dexamethasone Versus Prednisone or Prednisolone for Acute Pediatric Asthma Exacerbations in the Emergency Department: A Meta-Analysis.

This study evaluates the efficacy and tolerability of dexamethasone (DEX) as an alternative to prednisone/prednisolone (PRED) for the treatment of pediatric asthma exacerbations in emergency department (ED). Fixed-effects meta-analyses of selected endpoints were performed by using data taken from relevant studies identified by following a priori eligibility criteria after a comprehensive literature search in several electronic databases. Data from 10 studies (3208 pediatric asthma patients [1616 DEX treated and 1592 PRED treated], 4.77 years [95% confidence interval, 3.80-5.56 years], 63% [57.76%-62.68%] males) were used. Risk of vomiting drug was significantly lower in DEX group than in PRED group (risk ratio, 0.29 [0.18-0.48]; P ˂ 0.00001). Emergency department stay between DEX and PRED treated patients was statistically different (0.16 [0.03-0.40] hours; P = 0.02) but may not be clinically meaningful. The number of β-agonist therapies received by DEX- and PRED-treated patients was similar. Treatments with both DEX and PRED were associated with improvement in asthma status assessment scores, and there was no significant difference between the groups. There were also no differences between the groups in hospitalization rate, ED revisit rate, and hospital admission rate after relapse. Dexamethasone is a suitable alternative to PRED for the treatment of pediatric asthma exacerbation in ED.

Acute asthma exacerbations in emergency department

Acute asthma exacerbations in emergency department

Management of children with severe asthma exacerbation in the emergency department.

Although acute asthma is a very common cause of emergency department visits in children, there is as yet insufficient evidence for the establishment of a standardized treatment protocol. The aim of this review is to describe updated information on the management of asthma exacerbations in the pediatric emergency department. Oxygen is the first-line treatment of acute asthma exacerbations in the emergency department to control hypoxemia. It is accompanied by the administration of beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonists followed by corticosteroids. beta(2)-Adrenoceptor agonists have traditionally been administered by nebulization, although spacers have recently been introduced and proven, in many cases, to be as effective as nebulization. Oral prednisolone, with its reliability, simplicity, convenience and low cost, should remain the treatment of choice for the most severe asthma exacerbations, when the lung airways are extremely contracted and filled with secretions. Recently, several studies have shown that high-dose inhaled corticosteroids are at least as effective as oral corticosteroids in controlling moderate to severe asthma attacks in children and therefore should be considered an alternative treatment to oral corticosteroids in moderate to severe asthma attacks. Studies of other drugs have shown that ipratropium bromide may be given only in addition to beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonists; theophylline has no additional benefit, and magnesium sulfate has no clear advantage. Comprehensive asthma management should also include asthma education, measures to prevent asthma triggers, and training in the use of inhalers and spacers. Proper management will avoid most asthma attacks and reduce admission and readmission to emergency departments.