Assessment and management of asthma exacerbations in an emergency department unit

Abstract

Background: The Pediatric Respiratory Assessment Measure (PRAM) score is a useful tool for the assessment of asthma exacerbations in children. This study aimed to estimate the risk of hospitalization in children, assessed with the PRAM score and having mild–moderate asthma exacerbation, who were treated with salbutamol delivered via a metered-dose inhaler and spacer (MDI/S). Methods: The study population consisted of children aged 3–16 years with mild–moderate asthma exacerbations. All children received 1mg/kg prednisolone p.o. (max 40 mg) and 4–6 puffs of salbutamol via MDI/S. Results: Fifty patients participated in the study. Admission was associated positively with the initial PRAM score (OR: 18.91, CI: 2.42–123.12, P = 0.005) and negatively with the improvement in PRAM score (OR: 0.52, CI: 0.01–0.78, P = 0.032). Conclusion: PRAM is a reliable tool that can be used effectively to estimate the asthma exac-erbation severity.