Characteristics of fatal and near-fatal asthma attacks by rapidity of onset
| Rapid-onset asthma (≤2 h) | Slow-onset asthma (>2 h) | p-value | |
| Subjects n | 45 | 175 | |
| Trigger suspected | |||
| Unknown % | 51 | 47 | ns |
| Respiratory infection % | 7 | 38 | *** |
| NSAID intake % | 14 | 3 | 0.009 |
| Fume inhalation % | 9 | 1 | 0.003 |
| Psychosocial stress % | 5 | 2 | ns |
| Clinical data | |||
| Respiratory arrest % | 43 | 29 | 0.062 |
| Impaired consciousness level % | 63 | 44 | 0.026 |
| Absence of lung sounds % | 68 | 42 | 0.047 |
| Tracheal intubation required % | 56 | 48 | ns |
| Respiratory rate per min | 34±8 | 22±10 | ns |
| Heart rate per min | 113±21 | 117±21 | ns |
| PH | 7.13±0.15 | 7.18±0.16 | 0.051 |
| Pa,CO2 kPa | 9.71±3.86 | 9.31±3.99 | ns |
| Eosinophil count cells ×109·L−1 | 459±413 | 537±927 | ns |
| Leukocyte count cells ×109·L−1 | 14.680±5.046 | 14.840±6.374 | ns |
| Course | |||
| Total dose of systemic steroids in first 24 h mg | 263±301 | 194±114 | 0.020 |
| Days in hospital | 8 (6) | 9.5 (7.7) | 0.031 |
| Days in ICU | 1 (2.7) | 2 (4) | 0.079 |
| Hours under mechanical ventilation | 13 (37) | 28 (67) | 0.005 |
| Death % | 2.2 | 5.7 | ns |
| Severe neurological sequelae % | 2.2 | 1.7 | ns |
| Other major consequences % | 22 | 31 | ns |
Data are presented as medians (interquartile-range) means±sd or as percentages
NSAID: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Pa,CO2: arterial carbon tension
ICU: intensive care unit
ns: nonsignificant
***: p<0.001