Table 2.

Multivariable Multinomial Logistic Model of Factors Associated With Delayed Use or Nonuse of SCs in Emergency Department Patients With Acute Asthma

Variable	Adjusted OR (95% CI)a
	Timely use of SCs	Delayed use of SCs	Nonuse of SCs
Age group, y			NS
14–19	1.0	1 [Reference]
20–29	1.0	1.3 (0.9–1.7)
30–39	1.0	1.3 (0.9–1.6)
40–49	1.0	1.4 (1.02–1.9)
50–54	1.0	1.4 (1.02–2.0)
Female sex	1.0	1.2 (1.02–1.5)	NS
Ever intubated or ventilated for asthma	1.0	0.5 (0.4–0.7)	0.5 (0.3–0.7)
Time from symptom onset to ED presentation
<1 d	1.0	1 [Reference]	1 [Reference]
1–3 d	1.0	1.4 (1.2–1.8)	0.7 (0.6–0.8)
4–7 d	1.0	1.8 (1.3–2.4)	0.9 (0.6–1.2)
>7 d	1.0	2.2 (1.5–3.1)	1.1 (0.8–1.6)
Time of ED presentation, %
Midnight to 7:59 AM	1.0	1 [Reference]	1 [Reference]
8 AM to 3:59 PM	1.0	1.9 (1.5–2.4)	1.5 (1.1–2.0)
4 PM to 11:59 PM	1.0	2.0 (1.6–2.4)	1.5 (1.2–2.9)
Initial respiratory rate, per increase in 5 breaths/min	1.0	0.7 (0.7–0.8)	0.6 (0.6–0.7)
Initial oxygen saturation, per increase of 5%	1.0	1.2 (1.02–1.3)	2.1 (1.8–2.4)
Initial PEF, per increase of 100 L/min	1.0	NS	1.3 (1.1–1.5)
Average patient ED wait times, per 30-min increase	1.0	1.05 (1.0003–1.1)	NS

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; ED, emergency department; NS, not significant; OR, odds ratio; PEF, peak expiratory flow; SC, systemic corticosteroid.

^aThe multivariable model was adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, ever intubated or ventilated for asthma, chronic use of oral corticosteroids, time from symptom onset to ED presentation, time of ED presentation, recent upper respiratory tract infection, initial respiratory rate, initial oxygen saturation, initial PEF, calendar year, and the following 6 ED characteristics: number of beds in the ED, annual visit volume, region, affiliation with an emergency medicine residency program, average patient wait times in the past year, and the presence of an ED policy on ambulance diversion. The table shows only statistically significant predictors of either delayed use or nonuse of SCs in the multivariable model.