HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS AND ATTENDANCES FOR ASTHMA - A TRUE INCREASE

Objective: To compare the ratio of hospital admissions for asthma to t otal hospital admissions and to admissions for non-asthma respiratory conditions, over an 11-year period, to see if there has been a true in crease in admissions for asthma or merely a change in diagnostic label ling. A similar comparison was made for presentations with asthma and non-asthma respiratory conditions to the accident and emergency depart ment. Design and setting: A case review of all patients with a confirm ed diagnosis of respiratory disease admitted to hospital or attending the accident and emergency department at the Camperdown Children's Hos pital between 1979 and 1989. Results: There was a 98% increase in the number of patients admitted with a confirmed diagnosis of asthma. Whil e the ratio of admissions for asthma to total admissions increased fro m 0.053 in 1979 to 0.09 in 1989, the ratio of admissions for non-asthm a respiratory conditions to total admissions remained relatively const ant. The ratio of attendances for asthma to total accident and emergen cy attendances rose from 0.017 in 1979 to 0.072 in 1989, whereas the r atio of attendances for non-asthma respiratory conditions to total acc ident and emergency attendances had a maximum variation of 0.065 to 0. 09. Conclusions: These results suggest that there has been a major inc rease in the number of cases of asthma being treated at this hospital and that this is a true increase, perhaps representing increased sever ity, rather than a change in diagnostic labelling.