[Spontaneous pneumomediastinum as a complication of asthmatic crisis]

Pneumomediastinum is an uncommon self-limited clinical entity which usually involves young adults. In asthmatic patients, the manifestation of pneumomediastinum as complication of an asthmatic crisis is considered to be a rare event, and its course is usually favourable with scarce complications. We report here the main clinical and epidemiologic characteristics in four patients with pneumomediastinum secondary to an asthmatic exacerbation, admitted to the Neumology Department in our hospital for a three year period. The clinical course of our patients was favourable, and the picture resolved with conventional medical therapy for the asthmatic crisis.