Published Online:
January 21, 2009
This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows:
The aim of this review is to estimate the effects of combined therapy with inhaled anticholinergic agents and beta-agonists for acute exacerbations of asthma in adults who are neither intubated nor undergoing mechanical ventilatory support.
Specific Aims
- To quantify the effects of combined beta-agonist, anticholinergic therapy on patient outcomes; such as hospital, ICU admission rates, intubation, length of emergency department stay, etc.
- To quantify the effects of the addition of anticholinergic agents to traditional beta-agonist therapy on physiologic variables; such as airway resistance, expiratory flow rate, vital signs, SaO2, etc.
- To quantify differential effects attributable to specific medications, dosages, delivery devices timing of assessment
- To quantify any differential effects on adverse outcomes, such as cardiac dysrhythmia, hypotension, etc.