Variations and Gaps in Management of Acute Asthma in Ontario Emergency Departments

BACKGROUND: Variation in hospitalization rates for acute asthma in Ontario may reflect gaps between evidence and current emergency department (ED) management. We investigated ED management of asthma and differences in practice patterns for pediatric (< 20 years old) and adult (> or = 20 years old) patients in Ontario EDs. METHOD: Patient characteristics and ED management during a 1-year period were assessed by questionnaire and chart abstractions in a stratified sample of …