PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Eleanor Gerada
AU  - Josef Micallef
AU  - Richard Pullicino
AU  - Mariana Gauci
AU  - Steven Montefort
TI  - Hospital admission in adults with asthma exacerbations: Do demographic factors play a role?
DP  - 2012 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P2351
VI  - 40
IP  - Suppl 56
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P2351.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P2351.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2012 Sep 01; 40
AB  - Aim: To determine whether demography affects hospitalisation in asthma exacerbations in adults.Methods: We included 100 asthmatics admitted with an acute exacerbation over 14 months; matched for age and sex with a 100 well-controlled asthmatics from asthma clinic. Information on sociodemographic variables, clinical and laboratory data was collected. Acute and convalescent (at 6 weeks) titres of serum immunoglobulin E (Se Ig E) and serum eosinophil count were taken. SPSS was used for statistical analysis.Results:The study population was 73% female and the median age was 49 years. Univariate analysis using t-test and Chi-square showed a significant difference in compliance (p<0.0001), smoking status (p=0.007) and hospitalisation in the previous year between controls and cases (p=0.0001). There was no significant difference in: influenza immunisation (p=0.105), exhaled CO (p=0.85), BMI (p=0.27), Se Ig E levels (p=0.517), history of atopy (p=0.637), family history of atopy (p=0.121), level of education (p=0.210), age of asthma onset (p=0.320) and pets at home (p=1.0). The mean decrease in Se Ig E between acute and convalescent titres was 36.1%. There was no correlation between % predicted PEFR on admission (as a measure of severity) with length of stay (p=0.376), white cell count (p=0.165), CRP (p=0.199), or Se IgE (p=0.767), however this was negatively correlated with eosinophil count (p=0.045).Conclusions: A history of previous hospitalisation, non-compliance and smoking are significant risk factors for asthma exacerbations requiring hospital admission. An increased eosinophil count correlates with severity of exacerbation.