title: Survey of the management of acute asthma in children.
abstract: Acute asthma is one of the most common reasons for children presenting to the emergency department. International guidelines for the management of acute paediatric asthma are widely available. In this study we examined how acute asthma in children is managed across hospitals in Ireland and compared Irish practice with standard international guidelines. We surveyed 54 paediatricians across 18 centres in Ireland. A total of 30 (55.5%) individual paediatricians across 17 (94%) centres replied. The majority of centres had a written protocol for the management of acute asthma. A large number of centres use MDI and spacer devices in acute management although doses used varied widely. Only 29% of centres had written asthma action plans available from the emergency department and 53% had plans available from the ward. Irish practice is largely inline with established guidelines. A national asthma strategy could further help to improve asthma care.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Widger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elnazir
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents