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Published on: November 4, 2010

Outcome evaluation of early discharge after hospitalization for asthma

Richard L Henry1

  • 1Office of the Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. r.henry@unsw.edu.au

Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|May 4, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Discharge guidelines for asthma patients are lacking. For children, clinical stability on 3-hourly bronchodilators indicates readiness for hospital discharge, potentially reducing hospital stays.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonology
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Asthma exacerbations frequently lead to hospitalization.
  • Establishing clear discharge criteria is crucial for efficient patient management and resource allocation.
  • Current evidence-based guidelines for asthma discharge are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and assess the existing evidence for criteria determining hospital discharge for asthma patients.
  • To identify gaps in the literature regarding asthma discharge protocols.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on asthma discharge criteria.
  • Analysis of published research on clinical outcomes related to discharge timing.

Main Results:

  • Scanty recent research exists, with no strong evidence-based discharge guidelines currently available.
  • Clinical outcomes in children with asthma are comparable whether discharged based on 3-hourly or 4-hourly bronchodilator use.
  • Implementing a 3-hourly bronchodilator policy in children could shorten hospital stays by 5-6 hours.

Conclusions:

  • Data for adults with acute asthma are insufficient to draw firm conclusions on discharge endpoints.
  • Children with acute asthma are considered ready for discharge when clinically stable and maintained on 3-hourly bronchodilators.
Abstract

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