[Incidence of asthmatic attack during anesthesia in patients with a history of bronchial asthma].

We investigated retrospectively, the incidence of intraoperative asthmatic attack in patients with bronchial asthma, and compared the past 5-year period (Jan 1, 1979 to Dec 31, 1983) and the recent 5-year period (July 1, 1990 to June 30, 1994). The influence of anesthetic methods, induction agents, and intervals between the most recent attack and anesthesia were evaluated. The incidence of the attack during anesthesia in patients with asthma was similar in both period, 6.7% in the past and 7.8% in the recent period. Patients who had a history of recurrent attacks within 2 years prior to anesthesia tended to have higher incidence of intraoperative attack in both periods. Furthermore, the incidence of asthmatic attack was significantly greater in patients receiving inhalational anesthetics for induction of anesthesia than in those given intravenous anesthetics in the recent period. Although inhalational anesthetics are considered to be used safely for asthmatic patients, care should be taken when volatile anesthetics are administered to asthmatic patients during induction of anesthesia.