title: The efficacy of nebulized magnesium sulfate alone and in combination with salbutamol in acute asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of the efficacy of nebulized magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) alone and in combination with salbutamol in acute asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-blind randomized controlled study was conducted in Chest and Emergency Departments. Thirty patients of acute attack of bronchial asthma were randomized into three groups: MgSO4 nebulization (group A), salbutamol nebulization (group B), and their combination (group C). All patients were monitored before and after nebulization (each 20 minutes) for peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), blood pressure, pulsus paradoxus, oxygen saturation, clinical examination, and Fischl index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A highly significant improvement in PEFR, PEFR percentage, and Fischl index and significant decrease in RR and HR was observed in all groups. A similar improvement in PEFR was observed in group A and group B (P=0.389). The difference in peak expiratory flow (PEF) improvement was insignificant between group B and group C (P=0.101), while there was a significant difference between group A and group C (P=0.014) in favor of group C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nebulized MgSO4 alone or combined with salbutamol has a clinically significant bronchodilator effect in acute asthma and leads to clinical improvement, increase in PEFR, reduction in HR, and reduction in RR. The response to nebulized MgSO4 alone (PEFR improvement 54±35.6 L/min, P=0.001) is comparable (P=0.389) to that of nebulized salbutamol (PEFR improvement 67.0±41.9 L/min, P=0.001) and is significantly less than (P=0.014) that of nebulized combination (PEFR improvement 92.0±26.9 L/min, P=0.000).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hatem A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sarhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Omar H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: El-Garhy
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nouran A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Youssef
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000420:Albuterol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate
chemical_list: D008278:Magnesium Sulfate; D000420:Albuterol
keywords: Fischl index; acute asthma; nebulized magnesium sulfate; peak expiratory flow rate; salbutamol