The causes of asthma death were analyzed on 192 patients aged from 0 to 34 years old, died from 1988 to 2004 and reported to the committee till October in 2005. Subjects studied were divided in two groups by the year: former group who died between 1988 and 1997, later group between 1998 and 2004, to observe the recent change of asthma death.
Annual number of registered asthma death tended to decreased since 1998.
Sex ratio male to female was 97 to 62 in the former group and 21 to 12 in the later group. The grade of asthma severity prior to their asthma death were; severe (44%), moderately severe (30%) and mild (26%) in the former group and severe (48%), moderately severe (26%) and mild (26%) in the later group.
Number of death in the hospital to which he or she always visited, was 73% aged from 0 to 3 years old, 54% aged from 7 to 12 years old, and 39% aged over 13 years old. In the group aged over 13 years old, number of death in other hospital, in the way to the hospital or in ambulance increased.
The main contributory factors to asthma death were unexpected sudden exacerbation that is most important factor and the second was delay visiting the hospital.
Medications given in the last one year was analyzed. Steroid inhalation therapy tended to increase 32% in the later group compared with 24% in the former group and patch therapy of beta-agonist appeared in the later group.
The state of asthma attack during 24 hours before they died was analyzed. In the age group over 12 years old, asthma attack became severe more rapidly than other age groups. In the patients over six years old, these who inhaled steroid as daily controller medications were compared with those who didn't inhale it. The patients inhaled steroid were tolerated longer to severe asthma attacks than those didn't inhale it. These patients didn't inhaled steroid followed much more rapid clinical courses than those inhaled it.
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