[Sudden death in childhood bronchial asthma: report of one case]

Sudden death from childhood bronchial asthma is very rare in Taiwan. This is a case report of an eight-year-old boy who had been a victim of bronchial asthma since age five. He attained school regularly. Two days before death, he suffered from dyspnea, but the symptoms were relieved by oral drugs of beta 2-agonist and aminophylline. The drugs usually administered when he had attacks. Unfortunately he jumped and fell when he watched TV with his family at about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. He was cyanotic with apnea. He expired in spite of cardiopulmonary resuscitation for three hours in our hospital.