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A clinical pathway reduced use of nebulised β agonists and length of hospital stay in children with asthma exacerbations

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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 …

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Footnotes

  • Source of funding: in part, the Johns Hopkins Miracle Telethon Funds.

  • For correspondence: Dr K B Johnson, Division of General Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, CMSC 140, 600 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287–3144, USA. Fax +1 410 502 5440.

  • * Information provided by author.