[Severe asthmatic crisis in pediatric intensive care. A 10-year-study].

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a severe health problem all over the world about morbidity and mortality, whose repercussions on the patients and their family require coordinated actions.

OBJECTIVE: To know the characteristics of hospitalizations due to asthma severe crises in pediatric intensive care units of a Cuban province.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective and retrospective study was done with 40 pediatric patients with discharge diagnosis of severe crisis of asthma coming from the pediatric intensive care unit of Hospital Jose Marti y Perez, from January 1st, 1996 to December 31st, 2005. Main variables were: patients' origin, age at the moment of diagnosis and hospitalization, sex, familial history of atopy, triggering factors, previous inter-crises treatments, complications and hospitalization time.

RESULTS: Patients discharged due to this disease are little respect to other causes. Municipalities of higher prevalence of severe crisis were Fomento and Sancti Spiritus. Generally, patients had lesser than five years of age at the beginning of the disease and at the moment of hospitalization; male sex predominated and showed positive history of allergy. The most frequent triggering factors were respiratory infections and atmospheric changes. Most patients did not receive inter-crises treatments. The most common complications were: acid-base balance disorders and broncopneumonias. Hospitalization time was lesser than three days.

CONCLUSIONS: Acute crises of asthma in pediatric patients should be identified early to initiate the proper treatment and prevent complications.