Characteristics of asthma patients who need repeated hospitalization; frequency of use of systemic corticosteroids, emergency and unscheduled hospital visits and habitual use of sleeping pills

Background: This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of frequently hospitalized patients. Methods: The clinical characteristics of 310 cases having hospitalization episodes (206 patients) for asthma attack analyzed retrospectively based on their clinical records. Results: Nineteen out of the 206 patients were hospitalized more than just three times during the study period. Mean age (once hospitalization group 50.0 ± 1.5 y.o., twice- 53.0 ± 2.6 y.o., ≥ 3 times- 56.6 ± 2.0 y.o., p = 0.02) and the ratio of female (once- 55.2%, twice- 61.5%, ≥ 3 times- 78.9%, p = 0.04) were higher among the groups. The frequency of use of systemic corticosteroids (once- 23.6%, twice- 50.0%, ≥ 3 times- 59.8%, p < 0.01), emergency and unscheduled hospital visits (once- 0.5 ± 0.1 times/6M, twice- 1.3 ± 0.3times/6M, ≥ 3 times- 2.7 ± 0.2 times/6M, p < 0.01), and habitual use of sleeping pills (once- 11.8%, twice- 30.8%, ≥ 3 times- 47.4%, p < 0.01) were significantly different among the groups. Conclusion: Among the patients who need repeated hospitalization, the frequency of use of systemic corticosteroids, emergency and unscheduled hospital visits, and habitual use of sleeping pills were higher.