COMPARISON OF MALES AND FEMALES PRESENTING WITH ACUTE ASTHMA TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Objectives: To determine the female:male ratio and compare the severit y of asthma between female and male patients presenting with acute ast hma to the authors' emergency department (ED). Patients: Patients aged 15-50 years presenting with acute asthma. Setting: Emergency departme nt of a university-affiliated hospital. Methods: Retrospective analysi s of asthma surveillance data and medical records of all asthma-relate d visits to ED over 6 months (January 1992-June 1992). Results: One hu ndred and thirty-seven patients aged 15-50 years made 196 consecutive visits to the authors? ED over 6 months. The ratio of female:male pati ents was 1 . 9 and the ratio of the number of visits made by female vs . male patients was 2 . 6. Initial peak expiratory flow rate (PEER) an d forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) were recorded in 94% and 49 % of the visits, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the male and female patients in heart rate, respira tory rate or percentage of patients admitted to hospital. The mean (so ) initial FEV(1) as a percentage of predicted was significantly higher in females compared to males (49%+/-20% vs. 33%+/-15%; P<0 . 001). Co nclusion: In the authors' institution there is a high female:male rati o among patients presenting with acute asthma, and males tend to prese nt later or with more severe disease. These findings need to be confir med by a prospective study looking at all the factors that may contrib ute to asthma patients presenting to the ED.