Management of acute asthma: a survey of hospital practice and comparison between thoracic and general physicians in Birmingham and Manchester.

The assessment and treatment of 140 randomly selected patients with acute asthma admitted to hospitals in Birmingham and Manchester in 1978 were studied. A detailed history of attack severity was recorded in just over half the case notes on admission (55%) and objective evidence of severity was recorded in a smaller number (measurement of airflow obstruction in 31% and arterial blood gases in 42%). Twenty-one (31%) thoracic patients and 33 (45%) general medical patients received aerosolized bronchodilators from metered-dose inhalers alone and 31% of all patients were given no inhaled bronchodilator drugs. Although the asthma was considered severe enough to require admission to hospital 37% were not given a course of corticosteroid therapy. Response to treatment was monitored by serial peak flow measurements in only 51% overall. Discharge therapy included a bronchodilator inhaler and oral corticosteroids in less than half (43%) of patients. There was no major difference in severity of asthma in patients admitted under the care of 'thoracic' or 'general' physicians but significant differences were found in their assessment and treatment. 'Thoracic' physicians more often measured severity and the response to treatment objectively. They prescribed inhaled (rather than intravenous) bronchodilator drugs more frequently and were more likely to discharge patients with a bronchodilator inhaler, oral corticosteroids, prophylactic therapy and an outpatient follow-up appointment.