[A clinical study on asthmatic patients who were readmitted after a short period of discharge].

Abstract

We conducted a clinical study on asthmatic patients who were readmitted within three months of discharge. During twelve years (1979-1991), the number of patients who were readmitted within three months was 139 cases (209 episodes) in our department. Patients with respiratory diseases made up 53% of the subjects. Among patients with pulmonary disease who were readmitted within three months, the number of patients with lung cancer was 25 cases and that with bronchial asthma 24 cases. Within a month period, the number of readmitted patients with bronchial asthma was the largest 59% (19 cases) and the number of patients with lung cancer came second (4 cases). As for the characteristics of these asthmatic patients, the intrinsic type (15 cases), those with a history of over one year of the disease (20 cases), and those with steroid dependency (10 cases) were most commonly observed. Readmission occurred frequently between October and April. Readmission occurred frequently because of asthmatic attacks due to infection of reduction of steroid. Among asthmatic patients who were readmitted within one month, the disease severity was mild to moderate in 11 out of 19 patients, but there was a tendency for this to become intractable thereafter. It is impossible to prevent all patients from seeling readmission within a short period of discharge. However, we think the doctor's careful education of the patients is an important factor to reduce the early readmission rate of asthmatic patients.