Journal article
The 2016 Melbourne thunderstorm asthma epidemic: Risk factors for severe attacks requiring hospital admission
Mark Hew, Joy Lee, Nugroho H Susanto, Shivonne Prasad, Philip G Bardin, Sara Barnes, Laurence Ruane, Anne M Southcott, Andrew Gillman, Alan Young, Kanishka Rangamuwa, Robyn E O'Hehir, Christine McDonald, Michael Sutherland, Matthew Conron, Sarah Matthews, Nur-Shirin Harun, Philippe Lachapelle, Jo A Douglass, Louis Irving Show all
Allergy | WILEY | Published : 2019
DOI: 10.1111/all.13609
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The world's most catastrophic and deadly thunderstorm asthma epidemic struck Melbourne, Australia, on November 21, 2016. OBJECTIVE: Among thunderstorm-affected patients presenting to emergency rooms (ERs), we investigated risk factors predicting severe attacks requiring admission to hospital. METHODS: Thunderstorm-affected patients were identified from ER records at the eight major Melbourne health services and interviewed by telephone. Risk factors for hospital admission were analyzed. RESULTS: We interviewed 1435/2248 (64%) of thunderstorm-affected patients, of whom 164 (11.4%) required hospital admission. Overall, rhinitis was present in 87%, and current asthma was present in ..
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