ABSTRACT

Background: Heliox, a mixture of helium and oxygen, has been recommended by their physical properties as a useful adjunct in the management of acute crisis of bronchial asthma. Although its use was first proposed several decades ago, now the role of heliox in the management of patients with severe acute asthma is uncertain. In the Calderon Guardia Hospital has been using this gas in the management of some asthma attacks, so it would investigate the efficacy of this treatment in the management of moderate and severe asthma attacks in patients not intubated.
Methods: 71 asthmatics patients were subjected to a prospective, randomized, not blind, uni-centric study at the emergency room of the Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia Hospital. Along with the conventional management of acute asthma, patients were randomized to receive as a propellant heliox (80/20) or air during initial management. The primary end point established for the study was to determine if nebulized medication (salbutamol) with heliox improves the peak flow by 30% more than using air or oxygen as a propellant in sprays.
Results: The average age of the patients was 38 years, 22 (66%) patients were women. The peak of predicted peak expiratory flow of patients receiving heliox was 36.7% and 43% in used air. It was determined that the mean percentage improvement of peak flow at the end of the intervention was 90.2% with heliox and 64.4% in the control group. There were no significant differences regarding the stay of patients in the emergency services or hospitalization.
Interpretation: Heliox is useful in the initial management of moderate or severe asthma attack as a complement to established therapies.

KEYWORDS

Asthma, heliox, emergency department.

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