Incidencia y características de las agudizaciones asmáticas en Barcelona (ASMAB II)

Introduction

A study has been made on the incidence and clinical characteristics of asthma exacerbations (AE) seen in hospital emergency departments (HED) and domiciliary services (DS) in Barcelona.

Patients and methods

AEs were identified over a 56 day period during the months of October and November 2003 and the patients seen in university hospitals were interviewed.

Results

A total of 262 AE were identified, 188 in hospital emergency departments and 82 in domiciliary, which was a mean of 4.6 AE/day, giving an incidence of 0.37 AA/10⁵ inhabitants. This incidence was no different from that obtained in the same months in 2002 (P>0.05). The mean age (±standard deviation) of the143 cases of AE seen in university hospitals was 41±17 years; 87/143 (60%) were women and 57/138 (41%), smokers. In 36/61 (59%) the AE started in the home; in 88/132 (61%) it began 24 hours before arriving at the hospital centre. In 78/123 cases (63%) slow onset of nasal catarrh was noted before the AE and a viral infection was suspected. Inhaled corticoids were given to 45/112 patients (40%), and only one added oral corticoids 12 hours before admission. The AE were mild in 38/75 cases (51%), moderate in 28/75 (37%), severe in 8/75 (11%) and almost fatal in one patient (1.3%). Around 10% (13/137) of patients (10%) were re-admitted.

Conclusions

The daily incidence of AE is 0.37/10⁵ inhabitants. More than half of the exacerbations started after nasal catarrh and 11% of the AE were severe.