Table 2 Baseline characteristics at inclusion in the Emergency Department

β2 used within past 48 h

14 (61)

13(48)

0.368

Corticosteroids used within past 7 days

1/21(5)

5/25(19)

0.054

Duration of the crisis, h

35 ± 46

49 ± 80

0.474

Respiratory rate, breaths /min

30 ± 6

29 ± 9

0.636

SatO2, %

94 ± 5

95 ± 4

0.548

PEF, L/min

153 ± 69

163 ± 61

0.588

PEF, % of the predicted

31 ± 14

33 ± 12

0.453

PEF ≤ 30% of the predicted

6/19(32)

8/26(31)

0.954

Systolic arterial blood pressure, mmHg

121 ± 15

120 ± 17

0.578

Diastolic arterial blood pressure, mmHg

70 ± 11

73 ± 11

0.531

Heart rate, beats/min

99 ± 19

92 ± 26

0.339