RESUMEN
We conducted a study on 59 patients presenting to the Emergency Department of Mayo Hospital Lahore, with acute bronchospasm. Fifty-four of them successfully completed it. They were randomly allocated one of the following three forms of treatment for 8 hours: Salbutamol 2mg nebulised 4 hourly; continuous i.v. Aminophylline infusion or Salbutamol 1mg nebulised 4 hourly. 2mg Salbutamol nebulised with oxygen 4 hourly was judged to be the most effective form of treatment at 4 and 8 hours. It gave the most favourable improvement in pulse rate [p=0.004], paradox [p=0.009], respiratory rate [p=0.036], peak expiratory flow rate [p=0.006] and subjective score [p=0.003] at 8 hours. Favourable, though not statistically significant improvement occurred in blood pressure [systolic and diastolic], cyanosis and use of accessory muscles. Improvement in parameters was more marked after 8 hours than 4 hours of the study. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, arrhythmias, vertigo, sweating and headache were more frequent [though not statistically significant] in the Aminophylline group. Greater frequency of palpitation, tremor, myalgia and cramps [not statistically significant] were reported in those receiving Salbutamol 2mg 4 hourly by nebulisation