Fatal and near-fatal asthma in children: the critical care perspective.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To characterize the clinical course, therapies, and outcomes of children with fatal and near-fatal asthma admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).

Study design

This was a retrospective chart abstraction across the 8 tertiary care PICUs of the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network (CPCCRN). Inclusion criteria were children (aged 1-18 years) admitted between 2005 and 2009 (inclusive) for asthma who received ventilation (near-fatal) or died (fatal). Data collected included medications, ventilator strategies, concomitant therapies, demographic information, and risk variables.

Results

Of the 261 eligible children, 33 (13%) had no previous history of asthma, 218 (84%) survived with no known complications, and 32 (12%) had complications.

SUBMITTER: Newth CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3402707 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature