Asthma admissions: Characteristics of patients admitted to a specialized respiratory hospital

Introduction: Admissions for asthma are life threatening events that impair patients’ quality of life. The aim of this work is to characterize the population of patients admitted to a specialized respiratory hospital. Methods: Cross sectional prospective observational study of all admissions in ≥18 years old subjects along 1 year (Jan/12-Jan13) in a specialized respiratory hospital employing a single especially devised clinical record. Results: 164 consecutive admissions were studied in 147 patients. 157(95.4%) in a general ward and 7(4.2%) in ICU, 6 (85.7%) requiring mechanical ventilation (no deaths) 97(66%) pts were female. Mean age was 43±15.2 yrs. 12(8.2%) pts were admitted twice, 4(2.7%) 3 times and 1(0.7%) 4 times. 119(81%) had night awakenings in the last month;112(76.2%) had an emergency room visit in the last year; 94(64%) had been admitted once in their life and 30(20.4%) in the last year. 25.8% fulfilled ATS criteria for difficult to control asthma and 22.4% had experienced a near fatal asthma episode (82% were women).45,5% received only SABA, 12,9% were only on ICS, 34% were on ICS+LABA. Conclusions: A high number of admissions occurred in young patients (average age 43), a clear predominance in women and with markers of uncontrolled and severe asthma in the previous month and year. In spite of these facts treatment was suboptimal in the great majority of patients. This reflects a huge gap between guideline recommendations and daily treatment of asthma even in a specialized setting.