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Effects of salbutamol inhalations on transcutaneous blood gases in children during the acute asthmatic attack: from acute deterioration to recovery
Author(s) -
Holmgren D,
Sixt R
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1994.tb13070.x
Subject(s) - salbutamol , medicine , inhalation , anesthesia , airway , asthma
Holmgren D, Sixt R. Effects of salbutamol inhalations on transcutaneous blood gases in children during the acute asthmatic attack: from acute deterioration to recovery. Acta Pædiatr 1994;83:515–19. Stockholm. ISSN 0803–5253 Nine children, 7–16 years of age, were studicd repeatedly during an acute asthmatic attack, from acute deterioration to recovery. The transcutaneous blood gases, forced expiratory volume in l s (FEV 1 ) and maximum expiratory flow when 25% of vital capacity remained to be expelled (MEF 25 ) were monitored before and after salbutamol inhalation. The flow‐volume variables were markedly impaired in the acute phase but improved gradually by the time of recovery. The transcutaneous PO 2 (tcPO 2 ) decreased in the acute and early recovery phase but improved by the late recovery phase. In the acute phase, the salbutamol inhalations increased the FEV 1 , indicating an improvement in central airway function, but also reduced the MEF 25 and tcPO 2 in some of the children. The changes in tcPO 2 after the inhalations correlated with the changes in MEF 25 ( p< 0.001), thereby indicating a common denominator, probably the condition of the peripheral airways. In the recovery phase, the FEV 1 , MEF 25 and tcPO 2 improved after the inhalations ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, transcutaneous PO 2 can be used to evaluate the effects of treatment in children with acute asthmatic symptoms and may add information about peripheral airway function which may prove particularly valuable in small children where few methods are available for such measurements.