Thirty asthmatic children, 5 to 14 years of age, 20 boys and 10 girls, were studied while having acute asthmatic attacks. Each group of 10 children received either a single dose of 6 puffs (1500 micrograms) or 3 doses of 2 puffs (500 micrograms) at 5-minute or 15-minute intervals of terbutaline pressurized aerosol inhaler through a 750-ml volumetric spacer. The onset of bronchodilatation was ob...

We report the case of a severe bronchial asthma attack 15 minutes after the ingestion of food containing small amounts of alcohol. Although an ethanol inhalation test was negative, an acetaldehyde inhalation test was positive. Furthermore, it was discovered that the patient was homozygous for a mutation of the aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH-2) gene. We subsequently diagnosed his attack as acute...

Asthma management typically aims at maintaining asthma control by using corticosteroids that suppress airway inflammation. However, acute asthma exacerbations often occur leading to loss of control and necessitating systemic corticosteroids, hospitalization, or even both. Consequently, acute asthma exacerbations have a major impact on the mortality and morbidity of asthma as well as on the medi...

Plasma antidiuretic hormone concentrations were measured in a group of children with acute asthma and in a control group. Very high levels of antidiuretic hormone were found in the asthmatic group. There were no changes in other biochemical indices. If overproduction of antidiuretic hormone is sustained then fluid administration to children with severe acute asthma is potentially dangerous.

BACKGROUND Mortality related to asthma has decreased worldwide since the introduction of inhaled corticosteroid therapy in the past decades. However, there are still some asthma fatalities identified mainly in populations with less access to regular treatment. Pulmonary interstitial emphysema due to alveolar rupture has been rarely described as a complication of an acute severe asthma attack, a...

BACKGROUND Pneumonia is considered the major cause of mortality among children with acute respiratory disease in low-income countries but may be over-diagnosed at the cost of under-diagnosing asthma. We report the magnitude of asthma and pneumonia among "under-fives" with cough and difficulty breathing, based on stringent clinical criteria. We also describe the treatment for children with acute...

Attendances at the accident and emergency department of a children's hospital for treatment of acute asthma were studied for one year to determine the characteristics of the children attending and their management. Eight hundred and twenty children, median age 5.5 years, made 1389 visits. Records were available from 1046 visits. Clinical information and assessment of the severity of the attack ...

BACKGROUND Exposure to airborne fungi has been related with exacerbation of asthma in adults and children leading to increased outpatient, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations. Hypersensitivity to these airborne fungi may be an important initial predisposing factor in the development and exacerbation of asthma. OBJECTIVE This study was conducted to determine an association between fung...

A new and potentially more pathogenic group of human rhinovirus (HRV), group C (HRVC), has recently been discovered. We hypothesised that HRVC would be present in children with acute asthma and cause more severe attacks than other viruses or HRV groups. Children with acute asthma (n = 128; age 2-16 yrs) were recruited on presentation to an emergency department. Asthma exacerbation severity was ...