Clinical history of asthma and symptoms at index admission. Number of notes in which the variable was recorded (n) and % of these where the variable was present (all associations shown if p<0.20)
| Deaths from all causes | Controls | Adjusted1-1odds ratio (95% CI) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % variable present | n | % variable present | ||||||
| Chest pain | 76 | 25 | 102 | 9 | 4.15 (1.50 to 11.45)1-2 | ||||
| Chest tightness | 76 | 13 | 102 | 26 | 0.42 (0.18 to 1.01) | ||||
| Onset preceded by upper respiratory tract infection | 39 | 38 | 78 | 63 | 0.43 (0.18 to 1.00) | ||||
| Clinically severe asthma | 77 | 18 | 102 | 6 | 3.11 (1.07 to 9.06) | ||||
| Length of stay (days) | 74 | 92 | 1.14 (1.04 to 1.26)1-3 | ||||||
| Median length of stay | 4.5 | 3.0 | |||||||
| Interquartile range | 2–7 | 1–4.5 | |||||||
| Highest peak flow (l/min) | 65 | 97 | 0.78 (0.64 to 0.94)1-4 | ||||||
| Mean (SD) | 300 (116) | 364 (100) | |||||||
| Difference between highest and lowest peak flow (l/min) | 65 | 96 | 0.89 (0.75 to 1.06)1-4 | ||||||
| Mean (SD) | 180 (111) | 220 (110) | |||||||
| Pco2 >6.1 kPa | 54 | 31 | 54 | 9 | 3.84 (1.17 to 12.57)5 | ||||
| COPD co–morbidity | 70 | 33 | 100 | 7 | 3.67 (1.39 to 9.69) | ||||
| Coronary heart disease co-morbidity (ICD9 410-414) | 74 | 11 | 95 | 2 | 3.47 (0.68 to 17.82) | ||||
| Cardiovascular disorder co-morbidity (ICD 9 359-459) | 74 | 28 | 95 | 9 | 2.36 (0.94 to 5.94) | ||||
| Cardiovascular medication1-6 | 76 | 29 | 96 | 9 | 2.15 (0.86 to 5.36) | ||||
| Labscore >3 | 70 | 36 | 96 | 10 | 2.93 (1.22 to 7.03) | ||||
| Antibiotics on discharge | 76 | 25 | 96 | 36 | 0.60 (0.29 to 1.24) | ||||
| Ever smoker | 73 | 68 | 102 | 49 | 2.21 (1.13 to 4.34) | ||||
| Salbutamol or terbutaline | 79 | 81 | 102 | 89 | 0.66 (0.27 to 1.65) | ||||
| Fenoterol or Duovent1-7 | 79 | 39 | 102 | 13 | 2.19 (0.68 to 7.05) | ||||
| Ipratropium or Duovent | 79 | 52 | 102 | 18 | 3.75 (1.84 to 7.63) | ||||
| Ipratropium | 79 | 38 | 102 | 13 | 3.49 (1.59 to 7.62) | ||||
| Any drug by nebuliser | 75 | 33 | 96 | 16 | 2.49 (1.14 to 5.46) | ||||
| Inhaled steroids not prescribed | 76 | 38 | 97 | 22 | 2.44 (1.17 to 5.00) | ||||
| Inhaled steroid dose increased on discharge | 70 | 29 | 88 | 41 | 0.61 (0.30 to 1.26) | ||||
| Number of asthma drugs | 79 | 102 | |||||||
| ⩽3 | 44 | 55 | 1.0 | ||||||
| 4 | 37 | 35 | 1.21 (0.60 to 2.43) | ||||||
| >4 | 19 | 10 | 1.72 (0.65 to 4.53) | ||||||
↵1-1 Adjusted for age and sex.
↵1-2 Adjusted for cardiovascular medication, systolic blood pressure and age and sex.
↵1-3 Per additional day.
↵1-4 Per 50 l/min increase in peak flow.
5Pco2 >6.1 compared withPco2 ⩽6.1 and blood gases not done.
↵1-6 British National Formulary Chapter 2.0 drugs.
↵1-7 Compound inhaler which contains fenoterol 90 μg, ipratropium bromide 36 μg/metered inhalation.