A clinical pathway reduced use of nebulised β agonists and length of hospital stay in children with asthma exacerbations
QUESTION: In children admitted to hospital with asthma exacerbations, does use of a clinical pathway decrease use of nebulised β agonists, length of hospital stay, and unplanned health encounters?
Design
Randomised {allocation concealed}*, blinded (outcome assessors for selected variables), controlled trial.
Setting
An urban, academic medical centre in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Patients
112 children who were 2–18 years of age, were admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis of asthma exacerbation, and who were not under the care of an asthma specialist. Exclusion criteria were admission to the intensive care unit and previous enrolment in the study. 98% of patients (mean age 7.4 y, 64% boys, 95% black) were included in the analysis.
Intervention
55 patients were allocated to a ward with care based on a clinical pathway, which comprised a nurse driven protocol for …
