• S M Green and S G Rothrock.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Riverside General Hospital, California.
• Ann Emerg Med. 1992 Mar 1;21(3):260-5.

Study ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of routine early administration of i.v. magnesium to patients with acute asthma.DesignProspective, randomized clinical trial.SettingUrban teaching hospital emergency department.Type Of ParticipantsOne hundred twenty consecutive patients aged 18 to 65 years with acute asthma unresponsive to a single albuterol treatment.InterventionsAll patients received oxygen, 125 mg i.v. methylprednisolone, and hourly albuterol inhalation therapy. The study group also received 2 g i.v. magnesium sulfate infused over 20 minutes.Measurements And Main ResultsDemographic and clinical characteristics were similar in both groups. Hospitalization was necessary in 13 of 58 patients who received magnesium (22%; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 13% to 32%) and 11 of 62 control patients (17%; 95% CI 10% to 26%; P = .523). Duration of ED treatment in discharged patients was 224 +/- 75 minutes in the magnesium group (95% CI, 208 to 240 minutes) and 228 +/- 90 minutes in the control group (95% CI, 209 to 247 minutes, P = .832). In addition, changes in peak expiratory flow were not statistically different.ConclusionRoutine early administration of IV magnesium in acute asthma does not alter treatment outcome.

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