RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To quantify the number of asthma attacks treated in the emergency room of a public hospital and to study seasonal fluctuations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective survey was conducted in the pediatrician emergency room of General Hospital Agustin O'Horan in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico during one year (January 1 to December 31st, 2005). A total of 7,674 emergency room consultations were registered during a period of one year. All patients were younger than 14 years old. RESULTS: Among the conditions treated, acute asthma (10.3%) was the third most common diagnosis. There were 622 children with asthma, 376 boys (60%). Most of the asthma consultations (22.6%) involved children of 1 year old of age. The consultation for asthma attacks increased in December (18.4%), October (14.1%) and September (12.2%). A significative association was found between the monthly number of emergency room visits due to acute asthma and upper respiratory infections (r = 0.9059, p = < 0.001, I.C. 99%). CONCLUSION: The acute asthma is one of the most frequent emergency consult causes in children and there was a positive association between acute asthma and upper respiratory infections.