Treatment of asthma crises in children with nebulized salbutamol

Thirty-two children were treated with nebulized salbutamol for acute asthma. Seventy-five per cent of the treatments were efficient, either after a first nebulization at 0.15 mg/kg (47% = group I), or after a second nebulization 45 min later, at 0.05 mg/kg (27% = group II). Twenty-five per cent of the treatments (group III) were inefficient or only partly efficient. The clinical tolerance was good except in two children. Group I and II presented differences only for the auscultation score. Children from group I and II were older and had less severe asthma than those from group III. On the basis of this study, nebulized salbutamol appears to be an affective and safe treatment for acute asthma. The repeated administration of low doses, shortly after the first nebulization increases the quality of the response.