[Subcutaneous adrenaline versus inhaled salbutamol in the treatment of childhood asthmatic crisis].

As a bronchodilator, inhaled salbutamol has been shown to be as pharmacologically effective as epinephrine. However the use of the pressurised aerosol is difficult for pediatric patients (mainly under the age of six). The use of spacers (inhalation chambers) could solve this problem. This study was undertaken to compare the clinical effectiveness and toxicity of these two drugs and to try to establish dosage schedules of inhaled salbutamol with spacer in the treatment of acute asthma. The study population consisted of 100 children who were admitted to the emergency room at our hospital with acute asthma. One group receives 0.01 mg/kg of epinephrine (A) (maximum 0.3 mg), the other two groups received inhaled salbutamol (S-1 = 4 puffs and S-2 = 7 puffs) in a period of 20 minutes. Clinical effectiveness was measured by the score of Wood-Downes at 0, 30 and 60 minutes; and no statistical differences were observed between the three groups. The clinical effectiveness was similar in the three groups and the side effects (especially the increase of heart rate) was higher in epinephrine group. Inhaled salbutamol is as effective as subcutaneous epinephrine in management of children in acute bronchoconstricting episodes with less side effects.