[Incidence and characteristics of asthma exacerbations in Barcelona (ASMAB II)].
BACKGROUND
A study has been made on the incidence and clinical characteristics of asthma exacerbations (AE) seen in hospital emergency departments (HED) and domiciliary services (DS) in Barcelona.


METHODS
AEs were identified over a 56 day period during the months of October and November 2003 and the patients seen in university hospitals were interviewed.


RESULTS
A total of 262 AE were identified, 188 in hospital emergency departments and 82 in domiciliary, which was a mean of 4.6 AE/day, giving an incidence of 0.37 AA/10(5) inhabitants. This incidence was no different from that obtained in the same months in 2002 (P>0.05). The mean age (+/-standard deviation) of the 143 cases of AE seen in university hospitals was 41+/-17 years; 87/143 (60%) were women and 57/138 (41%), smokers. In 36/61 (59%) the AE started in the home; in 88/132 (61%) it began 24 hours before arriving at the hospital centre. In 78/123 cases (63%) slow onset of nasal catarrh was noted before the AE and a viral infection was suspected. Inhaled corticoids were given to 45/112 patients (40%), and only one added oral corticoids 12 hours before admission. The AE were mild in 38/75 cases (51%), moderate in 28/75 (37%), severe in 8/75 (11%) and almost fatal in one patient (1.3%). Around 10% (13/137) of patients (10%) were re-admitted.


CONCLUSIONS
The daily incidence of AE is 0.37/10(5) inhabitants. More than half of the exacerbations started after nasal catarrh and 11% of the AE were severe.
Morell
Ferran
F
Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Departament de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. fmorell@vhebron.net
Genover
Teresa
T
Benaque
Esther
E
Picado
César
C
Muñoz
Xavier
X
Cruz
María Jesús
MJ
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014504:Urban Health