Comparison of males and females presenting with acute asthma to the emergency department

Objectives: To determine the female:male ratio and compare the severity of asthma between female and male patients presenting with acute asthma to the authors' emergency department (ED). Patients: Patients aged 15-50 years presenting with acute asthma. Setting: Emergency department of a university-affiliated hospital. Methods: Retrospective analysis of asthma surveillance data and medical records of all asthma-related visits to ED over 6 months (January 1992-June 1992). Results: One hundred and thirty-seven patients aged 15-50 years made 196 consecutive visits to the authors? ED over 6 months. The ratio of female:male patients was 1 . 9 and the ratio of the number of visits made by female vs. male patients was 2 . 6. Initial peak expiratory flow rate (PEER) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) were recorded in 94% and 49% of the visits, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the male and female patients in heart rate, respiratory rate or percentage of patients admitted to hospital. The mean (so) initial FEV(1) as a percentage of predicted was significantly higher in females compared to males (49%+/-20% vs. 33%+/-15%; P<0 . 001). Conclusion: In the authors' institution there is a high female:male ratio among patients presenting with acute asthma, and males tend to present later or with more severe disease. These findings need to be confirmed by a prospective study looking at all the factors that may contribute to asthma patients presenting to the ED.