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Women hospitalized more frequently after ED visit for asthma

Women are approximately 60% more likely than men to be hospitalized after being seen in an ED for acute asthma, according to study results.

“It’s important to note the men and women whose charts we studied had certain things in common,” Rose M. Chasm, MD, of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said in a press release. “Most had not been seen by an allergist, and had not used controller medications for their asthma.”

Chasm and colleagues conducted a secondary analysis of data from 2,000 adults with acute asthma as part of the Multicenter Airway Research Collaboration to identify possible sex differences in patient characteristics and risk for hospitalizations. Fifty-nine percent of the adults with acute asthma were women.

Women were more likely to have health insurance and a primary care physician (P < .001 for both) as men, and they were twice as likely to have been seen by an asthma specialist (10% vs. 5%, P <.001) in the past 12 months. In addition, women were treated with inhaled corticosteroids more frequently than men (39% vs. 31%; P < .001).

However, women had a greater risk for hospitalization as opposed to men (20% vs. 12%; OR = 1.92; 95% CI, 1.48-2.48).

“Many people aren’t aware that allergists are asthma specialists, and they are among the best-equipped experts to help keep asthma under control,” James Sublett, MD, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, said in the release. “Those who see an allergist and use controller medications find themselves in the ED much less often, and experience fewer hospitalizations related to their asthma.” – by Ryan McDonald

Disclosure: Chasm reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.