Magnesium sulphate as a bronchodilator in asthma attacks in paediatric patients A single-center observational study.

Abstract

Introduction: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of magnesium sulfate as a bronchodilator in asthma attacks in pediatric patients from a regional pediatric referral hospital in Guayas, Ecuador.

Methodology: This observational study was developed at the Francisco Icaza Bustamante Hospital (Ecuador), from 2019 to 2021. Records of hospitalized pediatric patients with a diagnosis of asthmatic status were included. The variables were: age, sex, clinical manifestations, description of magnesium sulfate dose, and length of hospital stay. The sample was probabilistic.

Results: 92 patients received magnesium sulfate and 38 did not. There were no differences by age. The group that received magnesium sulfate in the first 2 hours of admission had a shorter hospitalization time of 2.7 days compared with those who did not receive magnesium sulfate, at 5 days (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Magnesium sulfate as a bronchodilator in moderate and severe pediatric crises is highly significant when its use is established correctly; hospital stay is significantly shorter when the drug is instituted within the first 4 hours.  As there is no significant improvement in pediatric patients who received magnesium sulfate compared to those who received conventional therapy, its efficacy is evaluated under different parameters and arguments that arise from the decision, such as the role of asthma exacerbation as an essential step.