Mechanical controlled hypoventilation in status asthmaticus.

This study reports the results obtained with mechanical ventilation in severe respiratory failure secondary to status asthmaticus. Of the 159 patients with status asthmaticus admitted to the Intensive Respiratory Unit over a 5-yr period, 26 required mechanical ventilation for a total of 34 episodes of acute respiratory acidosis. At the time of intubation, 10 patients were in coma and 5 were in respiratory arrest. Controlled mechanical...