RESUMO
Objectives: To determine the supportive role of magnesium sulfate in the management of acute sthmatic patients
Study design: A descriptive comparative study
Place and duration: The Study was conducted from January 2010 to June 2010 at Department of Medicine, Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad, Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad and Institute of Chest Diseases, Kotri, Sindh
Methodology: Acute asthmatic patients between ages of 10 to 40 years reporting to emergency department were enrolled in the study. They were divided into two groups. Groups I patients [n = 36] received oxygen inhalation, nebulization by ventoline and intravenous hydrocortisone. Group II patients [n = 37] received oxygen, ventoline nebulization, intravenous hydrocortisone and IV magnesium sulfate 25 ml /kg body weigh diluted in 100 ml of normal saline delivered over a period of 30 minutes
Results: Seventy three patients were included in this study. Baseline parameters were compared in the two groups. Both group showed significant improvement in pulse rate which was 90.9 +/- 8.46 in group I [without magnesium] and 82.3 +/- 5.11 beat per minute in group II [with magnesium]. Oxygen saturation after 120 minute was 95.9 +/- 2.02 and 96.2 +/- 1.5% in group I and group II, respectively. Similarly, after 120 minutes, PEFR was 205 L/minute in group I as compared to 237 L/minute in group II
Conclusion: This study suggested that there was benefit of adding IV magnesium sulfate to ventoline nebulization and intravenous hydrocortisone in the treatment of severe or life threatening asthma