Utility of portable spirometry in a pediatric emergency department in children with acute exacerbation of asthma.

Objectives: The primary purpose of this study was to determine if portable spirometers can be successfully used in an emergency department (ED) in children with an acute exacerbation of asthma. The secondary purpose of this study was to determine if a validated clinical asthma score (CAS) correlates with the spirometry results in children with an acute exacerbation of asthma.

Methods: Children between the ages of 6 and 17 years who presented to an urban free-standing children's hospital ED with an acute exacerbation of asthma were enrolled in our study.