title: A retrospective analysis of practice patterns in the management of acute asthma attack across Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate patient characteristics and practice patterns in the management of acute asthma attack at tertiary care centers across Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 294 patients (mean age: 50.4 ± 15.1 years; females: 80.3%) diagnosed with persistent asthma were included in this retrospective study upon their admission to the hospital with an acute asthma attack. Patient demographics, asthma control level, asthma attack severity and the management of the attack were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no influence of gender on asthma control and attack severity. In 57.5% of the patients, asthma attack was moderate. Most patients (78.9%) were hospitalized with longer duration evident in the severe attack. Spirometry and chest X-Ray were the most frequent tests (85.4%), while steroids (72.0% parenteral; 29.0% oral) and short-acting beta-agonists (SABA) + anticholinergics (45.5%) were the main drugs of choice in the attack management. Attack severity and pre-attack asthma control level was significantly correlated (p < 0.001). Pre-attack asthma was uncontrolled in 42.6% of the patients with severe attack. Most of the patients were on combination of more than one (two in 38.7% and 3-4 in 31.2%) controller drugs before the attack.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Providing country specific data on practice patterns in the management of acute asthma attack in a representative cohort in Turkey, prescription of steroids and SABA + anticholinergics as the main drugs of choice was in line with guidelines while the significant relation of pre-attack asthma control to risk/severity of asthma attack and rate/duration of hospitalization seem to be the leading results of the present study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Medicine, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. halukturktas@gmail.com
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Türktaş
authors.forename: Sevim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bavbek
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Misirligil
authors.forename: Bilun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gemicioğlu
authors.forename: Dilşad
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mungan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents