J Emerg Med
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Multicenter Study
Emergency Department Asthma "Spacing Trials": Institutional Variability and Time Cost.
Some admitting physicians request a medication-free interval ("spacing trial") in the emergency department (ED) to determine whether a patient with an acute exacerbation of asthma can be safely admitted to a hospital ward bed, where bronchodilators are only available every 4 h. ⋯ The practice of spacing varies widely between hospitals and is associated with substantial delay without an apparent benefit.