Introduction: Asthma is one of the most common chronic disorders of the respiratory tract. Thus, this study intended to evaluate the clinical effects and the peak flow metric effects of nebulized albuterol with heliox versus albuterol nebulization in acute asthma exacerbation.
Material and methods: In this randomized clinical trial study, 109 patients with acute asthma attacks admitted to the emergency departments (EDs) in *** were enrolled. The patients were divided randomly into two groups: the intervention and control groups. The intervention group was nebulized with heliox (helium/oxygen-70: 30) plus albuterol with a 10 mL/min dose for 20 minutes three times, which lasted 60 minutes. The control group received standard treatment (albuterol in combination with oxygen).
Results: The results showed that the mean scores of FEV1 and PEFR after 20 minutes were significantly different in the two groups, as FEV1 scores in the intervention group were 2.76 and 3.01 at 20 and 60 minutes, respectively, while FEV1 scores in the control group were 1.99 and 2.64, respectively (P < 0.001). In addition, PEFR scores in the intervention group at 20 and 60 minutes were 299.24 and 310.57, respectively. However, these scores in the control group were 237.98 and 274.56, respectively (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: The results showed that the use of heliox in t eating severe asthma attacks could be regarded as a different standard treatment that can lead to significantly better control of asthma attacks in the short term.
Keywords: FEV1; PEFR; asthma; emergency medicine; heliox; respiratory tract.