Loading...
Concerns about feasibility of bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) in children weighing ≤20 kg have led to recommendations to avoid its use in small children. Investigators studied outcomes in 165 children (weight range, 7.5–20.0 kg) with moderate-to-severe asthma exacerbations (based on pediatric asthma score [PAS]) who were treated with BiPAP in an urban pediatric emergency department (ED). Data were collected retrospectively for 112 patients and prospectively for 53. All patients received inhaled β-2 agonists and steroids; some received other asthma therapies, including magnesium, epinephrine, and terbutaline. A specially trained pediatric respiratory therapist performed frequent assessments to assure proper BiPAP functioning.
To dete…