Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood, and acute exacerbations are a significant burden to patients and to public health. Optimal assessment and management of exacerbations, including appropriate escalation of interventions, are essential to minimize morbidity and prevent mortality. While inhaled albuterol and systemic corticosteroids are the mainstay of exacerbation management, escalation may include interventions discussed in this review.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare disorder of highly stimulated immune responses to antigens that leads to life-threatening inflammation and multiple organ dysfunction. At presentation, HLH may uncommonly mimic septic shock. In this case, we present a 6-year-old girl presenting to the pediatric emergency department with a febrile illness and anemia that subsequently developed decompensated shock, initially thought to be septic. She was ultimately diagnosed with HLH. During initial HLH treatment, this patient also developed takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a unique pattern of reversible left ventricular dysfunction characterized by transient apical ballooning and hypokenesis of the left ventricle that spontaneously resolves. There are very few case reports of HLH-associated takotsubo cardiomyopathy. We believe that this is the first case of takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a child with HLH.

Aortopulmonary collateral vessels (AP collaterals) are frequently seen in patients with cyanotic heart disease. However, massive hemoptysis leading to life-threatening hemorrhage is rare. In this case, we present a 7-year-old girl who presented to the pediatric emergency department with massive hemoptysis secondary to AP collateral hemorrhage. We were able to control her hemoptysis initially through calming techniques, but the patient eventually went on to have 2 cardiac catherization procedures, during which coiling of many AP collateral vessels was performed.

We showed a trend toward improvement in the rate of risk-reduction medical record documentation.

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