title: The profile of ICU admissions for acute severe asthma in a general hospital.
abstract: The clinical profile of 22 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Alexandra Hospital over a 2-year period was studied. The mean age was 48.8 years with a majority in the older age group. The attacks leading to admission were generally rapid in evolution with 59% having symptoms for less than 12 hours and 84% for less than 24 hours. Most had a history of severe asthma, and of long duration. The pre-admission therapy had been suboptimal in the majority. Severe respiratory acidosis was a predominant feature. 68% were transferred to the ICU within one hour of arrival at hospital. Mechanical ventilation was required in 86.4% of cases, but the duration of ventilation was usually short. There was no serious complication due to barotrauma. Overall mortality was 23% (5/22). Problems in patient education remain a major hurdle in our attempt to reduce asthma mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Alexandra Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Mow
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Chew
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012846:Singapore; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D011188:Potassium