Arch Intern Med
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Multicenter Study
Sex differences among adults presenting to the emergency department with acute asthma. Multicenter Asthma Research Collaboration Investigators.
Asthma is an increasing problem worldwide, particularly among women. Sex differences in acute asthma presentation, management, or outcome would have important medical and economic implications. ⋯ Of adults who presented to the ED with acute asthma, women were almost twice as common as men. Although men received less outpatient care and had worse pulmonary function, women were more likely to be admitted to the hospital and to report an ongoing exacerbation at follow-up. Further studies are needed to better understand the complex relationship between sex and acute asthma.