title: Novel therapies for children with severe asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Novel therapies, such as a heliox gaseous mixture and noninvasive bilevel positive pressure ventilation, are being utilized in the treatment of the patient with severe asthma who is unresponsive to conventional medical management. Aggressive treatment may prevent intubation and its untoward complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both heliox and bilevel positive pressure ventilation have demonstrated clinical improvement in studies of patients refractory to standard care, both in adults and children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The studies in children are limited but show promise, especially when these therapies are used early in the treatment course and in certain subsets of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York 10016, USA. mlevine336@aol.com
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Levine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D006371:Helium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D006371:Helium; C038949:heliox; D010100:Oxygen