Final diagnoses and mortality rates in ambulance patients administered nebulized β2-agonists bronchodilators

To assess final diagnoses and mortality rates (30 day and 1 year) in patients treated with the inhaled bronchodilator salbutamol by ambulance personnel, and to establish its role as an identifier of moderate to severe respiratory distress in the prehospital phase of treatment. In a descriptive retrospective observational study, patients experiencing respiratory distress and treated with inhaled bronchodilators, specifically salbutamol, in the prehospital setting within the Central Denmark Region during 2018-2019 were included. The study included 6318 ambulance transports, comprising 3686 cases of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), 234 with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), 320 with heart disease (HD), 233 adults with asthma, 1674 with various other primary ICD-10 diagnoses (other ≥ 18 years), and 171 patients under 18 years. The 30 day mortality rate for all patients was 10.7% (95% CI 9.8-11.6), with zero deaths within 30 days among adults with asthma and those under 18. Excluding low mortality groups, AECOPD patients had the lowest 30 day mortality at 10.2% (95% CI 9.1-11.3), and HD patients the highest at 15.3% (95% CI 10.6-19.9). The 1-year overall mortality rate increased to 32.1% (95% CI 30.2-34.0), with mortality staying low for asthma and under-18 groups, while differences between other groups lessened and became insignificant. Patients requiring inhaled bronchodilator treatment in ambulances exhibit notably high mortality rates at 30 days and 1 year, except for those with asthma or under 18. The need for prehospital bronchodilators could serve as a clear and unmistakable marker for moderate to severe respiratory distress, enabling early intervention.