Predisposing factors to death after recovery from a life-threatening asthmatic attack.
The outcome of 49 asthmatics (20 men and 29 women) who had suffered a severe exacerbation of asthma requiring mechanical ventilation was investigated in a follow-up study ranging from 23 weeks to 10 years. Over this time, there were 6 fatalities, all female chronic asthmatics requiring treatment with bronchodilators, beclomethasone, and short courses of oral steroids. Three died at home as a consequence of a sudden attack. Another patient developed a cardiorespiratory arrest immediately after having received a sedative. In the remaining two cases, death occurred within hours or days of progressive deterioration. Four of the six women had required psychiatric treatment for an anxiety-depression syndrome. These findings support previous studies suggesting that psychological disturbances may be predisposing factors to death in bronchial asthma.
Picado
C
C
Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Clinic, Facultad de Medicina, Barcelona, Spain.
Montserrat
J M
JM
de Pablo
J
J
Plaza
V
V
Agusti-Vidal
A
A
D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors