Inclusion criteria
Patients were enrolled if they fulfilled the following conditions:
- Less than 18 years old.
- Acute exacerbation of asthma was considered as an acute episode of
increased work of breathing with wheeze and prolonged expiratory phase
in a child with similar previous episodes. There should not be
improved despite optimal measures in the emergency department or ward.
These measures must include: optimised salbutamol nebulisation, 2
mg/kg intravenous glucocorticoids (GC, methylprednisolone) and rescue
therapy with magnesium sulphate. Severe asthma was considered if
SatO2 < 90% with gasping, bradypnea, apnea,
cyanosis or altered mental status
- Non-severe comorbidities or previous diseases except asthma.
- No acute bronchiolitis criteria defined as the onset of wheezing
before 24 months of age in patients presenting viral lower respiratory
infection on physical examination with no other explanation for the
wheezing.