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Hypokalemia and salbutamol therapy in asthma
Author(s) -
Hung ChihHsing,
Chu DerMing,
Wang ChihLu,
Yang Kuender D.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-0496(199901)27:1<27::aid-ppul6>3.0.co;2-p
Subject(s) - medicine , hypokalemia , salbutamol , asthma , anesthesia , inhalation , bronchodilator , bronchodilatation , gastroenterology
Hypokalemia is a common side effect in adult asthmatic patients on beta 2 adrenergic therapy. There is limited information in regard to hypokalemia and its relation to the clinical responses following administration of beta 2 agonist therapy in children with asthma. We observed that salbutamol inhalation significantly improved asthmatic symptoms as demonstrated by increases in peak expiratory flow (PEF: 122.37 ± 75.38 vs. 152.59 ± 80.29; P < 0.001) and venous oxygen tension (Pv,O 2 : 33.24 ± 4.95 vs. 58.16 ± 2.31; P < 0.001), and decreases in respiratory rate (RR: 36.39 ± 3.78 vs. 28.62 ± 3.12; P < 0.01), clinical scores (CS: 3.59 ± 1.28 vs. 1.59 ± 0.71), and venous PCO 2 tensions (Pv,CO 2 : 40.84 ± 2.67 vs. 34.75 ± 2.31; P < 0.001). Salbutamol‐induced hypokalemia was correlated with a decrease in RR, and an increase of Pv,O 2 and PEF. These findings suggest that the same mechanism is involved in eliciting hypokalemia and bronchodilatation. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1999; 27:27–31. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.