title: Clinical evaluation of severe asthma attacks requiring tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the number of patients requiring hospitalization due to asthma attacks has decreased over the years, there are many who still require hospitalization for tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation following a severe asthma attack. Therefore, we evaluated the characteristics of patients with asthma who required tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation in our hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 20 patients who had severely exacerbated asthma, requiring tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. An evaluation was made based on their smoking history, the number of days from the onset of the asthma attack to admission, the level of asthma control, treatments before presenting to our hospital, the frequency of hospital visits, the reason for tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, and outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 20 patients with asthma 13 were men and 7 women, with a mean age of 48.7 years. The characteristics of patients who required tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation were as follows: (1) smokers, (2) not taking or irregularly taking medication, (3) using inhaled short-acting beta(2)agonist (SABA) alone as needed, and (4) not using inhaled corticosteroids (ICS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that treatment mainly using ICS, in addition to increased awareness of the dangers of asthma among the patients themselves, are important in preventing severe asthma attacks requiring tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Toho University Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan. k-sekiya@sagamihara-hosp.gr.jp
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sekiya
authors.forename: Keishi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugino
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hojyo
authors.forename: Fumiaki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Sakae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Homma
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014887:Weather; D055815:Young Adult; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists