Childhood Asthma in Ratchaburi Hospital 2000-2004

Abstract

       A descriptive retrospective study of asthmatic children in Ratchaburi Hospital was conducted from January 2000 through December 2004 to identify age of onset and sex, to measure asthma emergency visits both in outpatient department and emergency department, to measure asthma hospitalizations and to determine the rate of inhaled corticosteroid use. Data of 94 children were available. 61 were male and 33 were female. Male to female ratio was 1.8 : 1. Sixty nine patients (73.4%) developed first attacks within the first 5 years of life. The rate of emergency visits for asthma decreased (67.8% in 2000, 65% in 2001, 63.6% in 2002, 64.1% in 2003 and 48.9% in 2004) and, the rate of hospitalization had also gradually declined (46% in 2000, 45% in 2001, 42% in 2002, 40% in 2003 and 29.7% in 2004). The rate of patients used inhaled corticosteroids increased (17.8% in 2000, 5% in 2001, 18% in 2002, 23% in 2003 and 35.1% in 2004). This study did not indicate dramatic change in asthma morbidity since 2000 although the downward trend in asthma hospitalizations and emergency visits were probably associated with the trend of increasing use of inhaled corticosteroids.