Should mechanical ventilation in children with severe asthma exacerbation be avoided?

Asthma in children may lead to life threatening respiratory insufficiency that would justify mechanical ventilation (MV). There is common opinion however, that MV should be avoided in asthma because of life-threatening complications such as pneumothorax associated with MV. However, strong scientific evidence herefore is lacking. In this retrospective case control study we describe the complications of MV in children with asthma. …