Clinical characteristics of 247 patients with asthma reviewed by A-CARE, September 17 to January 19
| Age (years) | ||
| Mean±1 SD | 48.4±18.8 | |
| 0–19 | 9 | 3.6% |
| 20–64 | 180 | 72.9% |
| ≥65 | 58 | 23.5% |
| Gender | ||
| Male | 101 | 40.9% |
| Female | 146 | 59.1% |
| Ethnicity | ||
| Chinese | 83 | 33.6% |
| Malay | 80 | 32.4% |
| Indian | 68 | 27.5% |
| Others | 16 | 6.5% |
| Usual asthma follow-up prior to ED visit | ||
| None | 76 | 30.8% |
| Primary care (polyclinic or general practitioner) | 99 | 40.1% |
| Hospital | 72 | 29.1% |
| Smoking status | ||
| Current smoker | 71 | 28.7% |
| Ex-smoker | 27 | 10.9% |
| Non-smoker | 149 | 60.3% |
| No history of asthma counselling | 185 | 74.9% |
| Inhaled treatment status prior to ED visit | ||
| Not on any form of treatment | 20 | 8.1% |
| On bronchodilators (SABA or SAMA) without controller therapy | 67 | 27.1% |
| On any form of controllers (ICS or LTRA) | 159 | 64.4% |
| ICS only | 34 | 13.8% |
| Combination therapy (ICS/LABA) only | 84 | 34% |
| Combination (ICS/LABA) with LTRA | 23 | 9.3% |
| Combination (ICS/LABA) with LAMA | 8 | 3.2% |
| Combination (ICS/LABA)+LAMA+LTRA | 10 | 4% |
| 2 ED visits in the past 1 year for asthma exacerbation | 55 | 22.3% |
| >2 ED visits in the past 1 year for asthma exacerbation | 42 | 17% |
| ED disposition | (n=273) | |
| Hospitalised | 133 | 48.7% |
| Discharged against advice, absconded or demised | 15 | 5.5% |
| Discharged from ED | 125 | 45.8% |
| Discharged from ED with OCS | 105 | 84% |
| Discharged from ED with ICS | 96 | 76.8% |
| Outpatient follow-up issued | 108 | 86.4% |
A-CARE, Asthma-COPD Afterhours Respiratory Nurse at Emergency; ED, emergency department; ICS, inhaled corticosteroids; LABA, long-acting beta2-agonist; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonist; LTRA, leukotriene receptor antagonist; OCS, oral corticosteroids; SABA, short-acting beta2-agonist; SAMA, short-acting muscarinic antagonist.