Table 2 Clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and potential confounders of the study patients
Characteristics | Original cohort | Propensity-matched cohort | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continuous nebulization (n = 60) | Intermittent nebulization (n = 129) | STD | Continuous nebulization (n = 56) | Intermittent nebulization (n = 56) | STD | |||||
n | (%) | n | (%) | (%) | n | (%) | n | (%) | (%) | |
Clinical characteristics | ||||||||||
Age (years), median (IQR) | 5.6 | (3.3,8.9) | 4.2 | (2.6,7.6) | −34.1 | 5.6 | (3.3,8.7) | 5.6 | (3.2,8.6) | −0.45 |
Male gender | 37 | (61.7) | 84 | (65.1) | 7.12 | 33 | (58.9) | 33 | (58.9) | 0 |
Weight for age (%), median (IQR) | 23.6 | (6.7,73.1) | 28.4 | (3.9,75.5) | 2.87 | 27 | (10.5,74.7) | 23 | (2.9,80.7) | −2.87 |
Prognostic factors | ||||||||||
Obesity | 10 | (16.7) | 16 | (12.4) | −12.04 | 10 | (17.9) | 9 | (16.1) | −4.72 |
Not currently using controller medication | 22 | (36.7) | 59 | (45.7) | 18.39 | 21 | (37.5) | 27 | (48.2) | 21.58 |
≥ 1 exacerbation in the past 12 months | 45 | (75.0) | 97 | (75.2) | 0.45 | 42 | (75.0) | 41 | (73.2) | −4.04 |
History of endotracheal intubation | 7 | (11.7) | 12 | (9.3) | −7.67 | 7 | (12.5) | 4 | (7.1) | −17.91 |
Exacerbation triggered by pneumonia | 18 | (30.0) | 50 | (38.8) | 18.41 | 17 | (30.4) | 19 | (33.9) | 7.58 |
Treatment at emergency room | ||||||||||
Nebulized salbutamol < 3 doses | 8 | (13.3) | 25 | (19.4) | 16.31 | 8 | (14.3) | 12 | (21.4) | 18.56 |
Terbutaline subcutaneous injection | 10 | (16.7) | 8 | (6.2) | −33.11 | 9 | (16.1) | 4 | (7.1) | −27.90 |
Time to first dose of systemic corticosteroids (min), median (IQR) | 53 | (22,155) | 80 | (29,175) | 5.09 | 53 | (23.5151) | 70 | (25,149.5) | −11.40 |
Clinical data on initial admission | ||||||||||
Respiratory rate (per min), mean ± SD | 40.8 | ±8.7 | 39.8 | ±7.5 | −12.50 | 40.7 | ±8.1 | 40.5 | ±8.0 | −1.78 |
Pulse rate (per min), mean ± SD | 143.5 | ±16.9 | 147.2 | ±16.7 | 22.04 | 144.3 | ±16.5 | 143.6 | ±16.4 | −4.12 |
Oxygen saturation (%), mean ± SD | 93.9 | 3.2 | 93.5 | ±3.4 | −11.41 | 93.8 | ±3.3 | 93.6 | ±3.6 | −6.23 |
Co-medications during admission | ||||||||||
Ipratropium bromide nebulization | 25 | (41.7) | 37 | (28.7) | −27.27 | 23 | (41.1) | 17 | (30.4) | −22.30 |
Terbutaline subcutaneous injection | 31 | (51.7) | 15 | (11.6) | −94.70 | 28 | (50.0) | 7 | (12.5) | −87.67 |
Propensity score, mean ± SD | 0.37 | ±0.14 | 0.29 | ±0.12 | −62.56 | 0.35 | ±0.13 | 0.35 | ±0.13 | −0.62 |