Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic Of Iran

en Arterial blood gas and spirometry parameters affect the length of stay in hospitalized asthmatic patients Pulmonary Disease Pulmonary Disease Original Research Original Research Background: Asthma is a common condition in general medical practice, and it accounts for about 1% of all ambulatory hospital visits. Nowadays, hospitalization rates for asthma have actually been increased in some demographic subgroups despite recent advances in treatment. Understanding the underlying factors that contribute to hospitalization and especially duration of the hospitalization of asthmatics could help elucidate the recent rise in morbidity and also reduce the high demand on health care systems of the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate factors affecting the duration of hospitalization for Iranian patients with asthma.<o:p /> Methods: This study was conducted on 55 asthmatic patients (diagnosis of asthma was in accordance with the criteria of the American Thoracic Society). The study was performed on patients hospitalized in Rasoul-e-Akram hospital in Tehran, Iran during the period 2005-2006. During hospitalization, the patients’ most common complaints were recorded as the symptoms and signs of the medical condition, results of physical examinations, spirometry, arterial blood gas analysis (ABG), and ICU admission.<o:p /> Results: There were 18(32.7%) male and 37(67.3%) female patients with a mean age of 54.96 (SD=17.54) years. The mean duration of hospitalization was 8.31(SD=4.69) days that ranged between 2 and 23 days. The mean baseline arterial PH (p=0.039, RPearso = -0.362), baseline arterial [HCO3] (p=0.042, RPearson = 0.361), changes of FEV1 after bronchodilator (p=0.041, RPearson= -0.363) and patient's age (p=0.002, RPearson=0.0433) were determined as factors affecting duration of hospitalization.<o:p /> Conclusion: Our results showed that more attention needs to be given to the findings of arterial blood gas and spirometry which can potentially affect the duration of hospitalization of asthmatic patients.<o:p /> Asthma, Hospitalization, Length of Stay. 22 28 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-609&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Seyed Ali Javad Mousavi r_moosavi_pul@yahoo.ca 200319475328460017451 200319475328460017451 No Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Seyed-Mohammad Fereshtehnejad sm_fereshtehnejad@yahoo.com 200319475328460017452 200319475328460017452 Yes Firoozgar Clinical Research Development Center (FCRDC), IranUniversity of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Neda Khalili ned_khalili@yahoo.com 200319475328460017453 200319475328460017453 No Medical Students Research Committee (MSRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Malihe Naghavi malih_naghavi@yahoo.com 200319475328460017454 200319475328460017454 No Medical Students Research Committee (MSRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Hooman Yahyazadeh hooman.zadeh@gmail.com 200319475328460017455 200319475328460017455 No Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.