Introduction: Second-line drugs for acute asthma, such as salbutamol, magnesium sulfate, and aminophylline, are generally intravenously administered.
Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of using mag nesium sulfate or aminophylline in children who did not respond to initial treatment.
Patients and method: Randomized clinical trial. Children who did not improve the Modified Pulmonary Index Score (mPSI) receive at random magnesium sulfate (50 mg/kg/single dose) or aminophylline (5 mg/ kg/dose followed by continuous infusion at 1 mg/kg/hour for 3 hours). Primary endpoints were changes in mPSI and oxygen saturation; secondary endpoints: hospitalization rate, need for transfer to the intensive care unit, use of a third intervention, and adverse effects.
Results: 131 patients were studied (66 patients in the aminophylline group and 65 MgSO4). The mean age was 5 ± 2.3 years, the demographic and clinical parameters did not differ between the groups. In the group that received magnesium sulfate, the mPSI and oxygen saturation changed significantly in favor from 13.1 ± 1.3 to 4.9 ± 2.5 (p < 0.001) and from 3.3 ± 2.5; (p 0.021), respectively, and their risk of hospital admission (RR 0.68 95% CI [0.56, 0.82]) and of secondary failure (0.16 95% CI 95% [0 , 07; 0.38]) decreased. Only one adverse event (tachycardia) was recorded.
Conclusion: The administration of a single dose of magnesium sulfate proved to be more effective and safe than the use of aminophylline as a second- line drug.