Managing Acute Asthma Exacerbations in Pediatric Patients: Should Peak Flow Measurements (PFM) or Pediatric Respiratory Assessment Measure (PRAM) Scores be used to Titrate Bronchodilator Treatment? - Abstract
Asthma is common in pediatric patient populations, and acute asthma exacerbations are one of the leading causes for emergency department visits in pediatric hospitals. Several methods are used to evaluate the severity of asthma exacerbations, including the pediatric respiratory assessment measure and peak flow measurements. This study
aims to determine which method is superior for advancing treatment intervals in a pediatric patient population. Fifty-six asthmatic patients between the ages of 12 and 16 were included in the study. Treatment intervals for those in Groups 1 and 2 were advanced based on peak flow measurements and pediatric respiratory assessment measure scores, respectively. The total number of treatments and the number of q2h treatments required before discharge were significantly lower for the group for which treatment intervals were advanced based on peak flow measurements. Protocols utilizing peak flow measurements may be more cost effective than protocols based on
pediatric respiratory assessment scores. This may be especially relevant in resourcepoor settings, and further investigation is warranted.