Pattern of Acute Asthma Seen in Children Emergency Department of the River State University Teaching Hospital Portharcourt Nigeria

• 作者: Edith Owate Uchenna C. Onubogu
• 来源期刊: 呼吸病期刊(英文)
• 学科: 医学
• 关键词: ASTHMA EXACERBATION Emergency SEASONAL Variation CHILDREN NIGERIA AFRICA
• 年，卷（期）: 2019,（4）
• 页码范围: 101-111
• 页数: 11页
• 分类号: R56

摘要

Acute exacerbations of asthma are one of the leading causes of emergency room visits and hospitalizations in children. Asthma exacerbations also demonstrate a seasonal pattern in which high rates can be seen at a particular season and knowledge of the seasonal pattern of asthma exacerbation in any locality can improve asthma management. Objective: To determine the prevalence, management outcome and seasonal pattern of emergency department visits for acute exacerbation of asthma. Methods: This was a retrospective review of the emergency department register of all asthma admissions in the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Portharcourt, Nigeria over a five year period from January 2014 to December 2018. Results: A total of 205 (2.9%) asthma-related visits were recorded out of 7046 emergency room visits. The mean age of the patients was 6.1 (±4.2) yrs, with an M:F ratio of 1.97:1. The median length of hospital stay was 24 hrs. Children older than 11 yrs were more likely to be admitted for >48 hrs (OR 4.18, 95% CI;1.67, 10.39, P;0.003). Emergency department visits for asthma were more in the rainy season April-September 129 (63.9%) with a peak in May. There is a significant variation in the seasonal pattern of emergency room asthma admission with age (P = 0.018). Children >3 yrs have their highest admission rates in May while younger children experience two peaks in February and November. Conclusion: Asthma exacerbation is more in rainy season among children in Portharcourt although there is a variation in seasonal pattern of asthma exacerbation with age.