Outcomes of emergency room treatment of children with asthma.
Duration of symptoms, medication use and follow-up medical care were examined over an 8-week period in children following emergency room treatment for an acute asthma episode. Two groups of children were compared: Short-course (N = 90) and Continuous Medication Users (N = 46). Over a third of Short-Course Users continued to report symptoms up to 6 weeks following the index episode with 31% reporting medication use at 8 weeks. Relapse, resulting in an emergency room visit, occurred in 26% of all study children. Factors associated with relapse included maternal smoking, female gender, prior hospitalization for asthma, cough, and medication use during the follow-up period.
Butz
A M
AM
School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
Eggleston
P
P
Alexander
C
C
Rosenstein
B J
BJ
D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D013806:Theophylline / Q000627:therapeutic use
D013806:Theophylline