Snapshot of acute asthma: Treatment and outcome of patients with acute asthma treated in Australian emergency departments

Abstract

Aims: To characterize presentations due to acute asthma at Australian emergency departments (ED), including their severity, treatment and disposition. Methods: This prospective, observational study involved 38 departments of emergency medicine throughout Australia participating in the Snapshot of Asthma Study Group project 2000 and 2001. Data were collected for patients presenting with acute asthma between 21 August 2000 and 3 September 2000, and 20 August 2001 and 2 September 2001 and included demographics, severity classification, treatment and disposition. Results: There were 1340 acute asthma presentations in the study periods. Of these presentations, 67% were for children aged <15 years..