Manejo de crises asmáticas em crianças: conhecimento de profissionais de saúde quanto ao tópico em hospitais-escola do Recife (PE) Acute asthma management in children: knowledge of the topic among health professionals at teaching hospitals in the city of Recife, Brazil

OBJETIVO: O conhecimento sobre o manejo da asma aguda em crianças é um tema pouco explorado. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o conhecimento de profissionais de saúde do Recife (PE) sobre o assunto. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal de tipo inquérito com 27 médicos e 7 enfermeiros, com mais de 2 anos de trabalho, de dois grandes hospitais-escola de pediatria do Recife, avaliados através de questionários autoaplicáveis com questões fechadas. RESULTADOS: Tanto os pediatras quanto os enfermeiros apresentaram conhecimento inadequado sobre o uso de inaladores dosimetrados, nebulização, tipo e dosagem dos medicamentos, assim como técnicas de descontaminação e desinfecção do material. CONCLUSÕES: O conhecimento inadequado do manejo da asma aguda em crianças pode refletir em um tratamento menos efetivo nesses hospitais. Medidas educativas são necessárias para minimizar o problema.<br>OBJECTIVE: Knowledge of acute asthma management in children is a subject that has rarely been explored. The objective of this study was to assess the level of such knowledge among health professionals in the city of Recife, Brazil. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey involving 27 pediatricians and 7 nurses, all with at least two years of professional experience, at two large pediatric teaching hospitals in Recife. The participants completed a self-administered multiple-choice questionnaire. RESULTS: The pediatricians and nurses all possessed insufficient knowledge regarding the use of metered dose inhalers, nebulization, and types/doses of medications, as well as techniques for decontamination and disinfection of the equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient knowledge of acute asthma management in children can lead to less effective treatment in hospitals such as those evaluated here. Educational programs should be developed in order to minimize this problem

Asthma in emergency departments: Combined adult and paediatric versus paediatric only centres

Objective: To compare the management of paediatric patients with mild or moderate asthma in paediatric-only emergency departments (POEDs) to treatment in a mixed adult-child emergency departments (mixed EDs). Methods: Prospective, observational study conducted in 36 Australian emergency departments (EDs) for 2 weeks in 2001. Children aged 1–15 years with acute asthma classified as mild or moderate severity. Details of demography, severity assessment, and type of treatment facility, treatment and disposition were collected. Analysis used descriptive statistics, comparison of proportions by χ2, and multiple logistic regression. Results:Two-hundred and nine children were treated at POEDs and 257 at mixed EDs. The groups had similar severity. Spacers to deliver beta-agonists were used more frequently in POEDs (67.5% vs 24.2%; P < 0.01). Children treated at POEDs with a mild attack were more likely to be admitted (20.6% vs 9.5%; P < 0.02) and given salbutamol (82.8% vs 71.9%; P = 0.03). For children with moderate asthma, oral steroid prescription on hospital discharge was more common for those treated in a mixed ED (81.0% v 95.7%; P= 0.01). Ipratropium bromide (IB) was widely used at both types of ED but more commonly used in mixed EDs (41.7% vs 54.9%; P < 0.01). There were no differences in length-of-stay, representation rate within one month and oral steroid use for attack. Less than 2/3 of children with mild asthma attacks received steroid treatment in the ED. Conclusion: Treatment was similar between the two types of ED. IB was overused in mild asthma and oral steroids were underused in moderate asthma, by both ED types. Spacers were under-utilized in mixed EDs

Comparação entre o tratamento farmacológico aplicado em crianças de zero a cinco anos atendidas em uma unidade de emergência e as diretrizes do III Consenso Brasileiro no Manejo da Asma Comparison between the drug treatment used in children up to five years of age treated in an emergency room and the guidelines established in the III Brazilian Consensus on Asthma Management

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o manejo da crise asmática em crianças de zero a cinco anos atendidas em uma unidade de emergência pediátrica da região metropolitana do Recife (PE) e verificar se a condução da crise asmática pode interferir no tempo de permanência da criança no serviço de emergência. MÉTODOS: Estudo de natureza descritiva exploratória, abordagem quantitativa e corte transversal. Envolveu 246 crianças em crise asmática de uma unidade de emergência, tendo sido avaliada a conduta utilizada, a conduta preconizada pelo III Consenso Brasileiro no Manejo da Asma e o tempo de permanência da criança na emergência. RESULTADOS: Os fármacos foram utilizados de acordo com o preconizado em 69 atendimentos (28,1%). As doses dos fármacos foram concordantes com as preconizadas em 34 atendimentos (13,8%) e os procedimentos de nebulização em 33 (13,4%). Não houve associação entre as condutas utilizadas e o tempo de permanência no serviço. Após aplicação do modelo de regressão, observou-se que crianças com asma de classificação persistente leve e intermitente tiveram um risco ajustado, respectivamente, de quatro e quinze vezes maior de permanecerem no serviço de emergência por tempo insuficiente para avaliação da resposta ao tratamento da crise, conforme o preconizado pelo consenso. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar de o manejo preconizado pelo consenso encontrar barreiras de aplicação como pouca familiaridade da equipe multidisciplinar com as diretrizes e ausência de recursos materiais e terapêuticos preconizados, a repercussão no tempo de permanência esteve relacionada a fatores classificatórios da doença.<br>OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the management of asthma attacks in children up to five years of age treated in the pediatric emergency room of a hospital in the metropolitan area of the city of Recife, Brazil, as well as to determine whether the way in which asthma attacks are managed can influence the duration of emergency room visits for such children. METHODS: A descriptive, exploratory study employing a quantitative, cross-sectional approach. The study sample comprised 246 children treated for asthma attacks in an emergency room. The approach used was evaluated in comparison with the approach recommended in the III Brazilian Consensus on Asthma Management, as was the length of time each child spent in the emergency room. RESULTS: In 69 (28.1%) of the cases, the medications were used in accordance with the Consensus guidelines. In 34 (13.8%) of the cases, the doses used were those recommended in the Consensus guidelines, and the guidelines regarding nebulization procedures were followed in 33 cases (13.4%). No correlation was found between the approach taken and the length of the emergency room visit. In the logistic regression analysis, we observed that the adjusted risk of being released from the emergency room sooner than recommended in the Consensus guidelines (a length of time sufficient to allow the response to the treatment to be analyzed) was four times and fifteen times greater, respectively, for children with mild persistent asthma and for those with intermittent asthma. CONCLUSION: Although there are obstacles to using the asthma management approach recommended in the Consensus guidelines (such obstacles including the lack of familiarity with the guidelines on the part of the multidisciplinary team, as well as the lack of recommended material and therapeutic resources), the duration of emergency room visits was found to be related to the degree of asthma severity

Ensaio clínico, aberto, controlado sobre a adição de brometo de ipratrópio ao fenoterol no tratamento da crise de asma em adultos Open, controlled clinical assay of the addition of ipratropium bromide to fenoterol in the treatment of acute asthma crisis in adults

No tratamento da crise de asma, empregam-se doses repetidas de drogas b2-agonistas por via inalatória. O efeito da adição do brometo de ipratrópio (BI) ao b2-agonistas é controverso em adultos. OBJETIVO: Avaliar se adição de BI ao fenoterol, em tratamentos inalatórios repetidos, induz a maior broncodilatação, com reversibilidade da crise e alta da emergência em pacientes em crise grave de asma. LOCAL DO ESTUDO: Serviço de Pronto-Atendimento de Pneumologia, Disciplina de Pneumologia da Unifesp-Hospital São Paulo, no período de julho de 1995 a fevereiro de 1997. TIPO DE ESTUDO: Aberto, randomizado, paralelo. Alta da emergência determinada pelo VEF1 e PFE > 60% do previsto. CASUÍSTICA E MÉTODOS: Cento e vinte pacientes em crise de asma foram divididos em dois grupos (N = 60): fenoterol (F) e brometo de ipratrópio + fenoterol (BIF) com VEF1 e PFE < 50% do previsto. Cada grupo recebeu três tratamentos inalatórios, através de nebulímetro e câmara de expansão, administrados em intervalos de 30 minutos. No grupo F foram administrados 4 jatos de fenoterol (400mcg) e no grupo BIF, 160mcg de BI e 400mcg de fenoterol (4 jatos). RESULTADOS: A média (± DP) do PFE basal (F = 36 ± 7% vs. BIF = 35 ± 9% previsto) e do VEF1 basal (F = 33 ± 9% vs. BIF = 32 ± 9%). Trinta e dois pacientes no grupo F e 33 pacientes no grupo BIF tiveram alta após tratamentos inalatórios. O VEF1 e PFE ao final dos tratamentos inalatórios foram, respectivamente, F = 60 ± 13% vs. BIF = 61 ± 11% e F = 74 ± 18% vs. BIF = 77 ± 13% (NS). CONCLUSÃO: A adição de brometo de ipratrópio ao fenoterol resulta em efeito funcional insignificante e sem impacto clínico no tratamento da crise de asma em adultos.<br>Repeated dosis of inhaled b2-agonists have been used in the treatment of acute asthma. The effect of added ipratropium bromide (IB) to b2-agonist is controversial in adults. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if addition of IB to fenoterol, in repeated doses, induces a greater bronchodilation, a greater reversion of the attack, and discharge from emergency unit in adults with acute severe asthma. SETTING: Pneumology Emergency Department, Unifesp-Hospital São Paulo, in the period from July 1995 to February 1997. TYPE OF STUDY: Open, randomized and parallel study. Discharge from the hospital: FEV1 and PEF > 60% of the predicted value. METHODS: 120 patients with FEV1 and PEF < 50% of the predicted value were divided into two groups (N = 60): fenoterol (F) and ipratropium bromide + fenoterol (IBF). Each group received inhalation treatment through a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) attached to a holding chamber, administered at 30-minute interval, for a total of three treatments. In the group F four puffs of fenoterol (400 mg) were administered, and in the IBF group, 160 mg of BI and 400 mg of fenoterol (four puffs). RESULTS: The patients did not differ from basal PEF (F = 36 ± 7% vs IBF = 35 ± 9% predicted) and basal FEV1 (F = 33 ± 9% vs IBF = 32 ± 9% predicted). Thirty-two patients of group F and 33 of group IBF were discharged from hospital after the inhalation treatment. The final FEV1 and PEF after inhalation treatments were F = 60 ± 13% vs IBF = 61 ± 11% e F = 74 ± 18% vs IBF = 77 ± 13% (NS). CONCLUSION: The addition of ipratropium bromide to fenoterol results in insignificant functional effect and without clinical impact in the treatment of acute asthma in adults