Azithromycin Therapy in PreSchoolers with a Severe Wheezing Episode Diagnosed at the Emergency Department (AZ-SWED)

Every year in the United States, almost 2.2 million children aged 2-5 years have wheezing and difficulty to breathe severe enough to require their caregivers to take them to Emergency Departments (ED). No other age group has such a high burden for asthma-like symptoms. Approximately $2 billion are spent each year on direct and indirect health care costs including loss of wages. Finding better ways to treat acute preschool wheezing illnesses and decrease severity of symptoms and potentially admissions is a national public health priority.