title: The efficacy and safety of home nebulizer therapy for children with asthma.
abstract: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of nebulized beta-agonists used in the homes of 22 children with asthma. Patients served as their own controls for the comparison of asthma-related variables between periods of 12 months before and 12 months after the initiation of home nebulizer therapy. Significant reductions in the numbers of emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and short courses of prednisone therapy occurred when home nebulizer therapy was provided. The younger the patients, the more frequently improvement occurred. After the initiation of home nebulizer therapy there was no change in the severity of illness when patients presented to the emergency department or in the number of episodes of respiratory failure. Home nebulizer therapy for children with asthma appears safe and reduces the need for hospital care and short courses of prednisone therapy.
authors.affiliation: La Rabida Children's Hospital and Research Center, Chicago, IL 60649.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Zimo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akhter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D011241:Prednisone