A Comparison of Inhaled Fluticasone and Oral Prednisone for Children with Severe Acute Asthma

Acute asthma is the most common medical emergency in children. Adequate oxygenation, frequent use of aerosolized β 2 -adrenergic agonists, and anticholinergic drugs and systemic corticosteroids are the mainstay of therapy for severe disease. 1 – 3 Systemic corticosteroids can decrease rates of hospitalization among patients with acute asthma, 4 , 5 although this finding is not universal. 6 , 7 Oral corticosteroids decrease the need for hospitalization within four hours after therapy in children treated in the emergency department, 3 shorten the duration of the hospital stay, and prevent the progression of symptoms in outpatients. 8 – 13 However, there is concern about the safety of repetitive courses . . .