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Treatment of acute asthma among pregnant women improves over 17-year period

Researchers found the rate of systemic corticosteroid prescriptions for pregnant women with asthma presenting to the emergency room increased over a 17-year period, according to new study results.

“On the basis of four observational studies of pregnant women with acute asthma in 48 EDs, we found a significant increase in the ED administration of systemic corticosteroids and prescription of systemic corticosteroids at ED discharge over the 17-year period,” Kohei Hasegawa, MD, MPH, of Massachusetts General Hospital, and colleagues, wrote.

The researchers combined data from four multicenter observational studies of adult ED patients with acute asthma from 1996 to 2001 and 2011 to 2012. All studies were performed by the Multicenter Airway Research Collaboration, a program of the Emergency Medicine Network.

Of the 4,895 adult ED patients with acute asthma in the studies, the researchers comprised 125 pregnant women aged 18 to 44 years from the study.

The proportion of patients who received systemic corticosteroids in the ED increased from 51% to 78% spanning both time periods (OR = 3.11; 95% CI, 1.27-7.6).

Of the 97 pregnant patients with acute asthma who were discharged, prescription of oral corticosteroids increased from 42% to 63% between the time periods (OR = 2.49; 95% CI, 0.97-6.37).

While the numbers appear to be increasing over time, the researchers indicate about one-third of pregnant women with acute asthma were discharged without being prescribed corticosteroids in the 2011 to 2012 period.

“These observations support prior optimism that the quality of emergency asthma care can be improved,” the researchers wrote. – by Ryan McDonald

Disclosure: This study was funded by a grant from Novartis to Massachusetts General Hospital. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.