Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Air Quality Issues Continue With Expected Health Impact

U.S. health officials have extended air-quality alerts in locales across the Midwest this week related to smoke from ongoing wildfires originating in Canada. Extraordinarily high air quality index (AQI) readings were recorded in several areas in recent days, although the danger has started to ease thanks to rain and shifting wind. Covenant HealthCare MedExpress in Michigan closed its doors for several hours last week after wildfire smoke compromised air quality inside the building, according to …

Adults With Health Conditions Have Higher Incidence of Severe RSV

Researchers found adults with underlying high-risk conditions (HRCs)—such as asthma, congenital immunodeficiency, chronic kidney disease, and others—had a higher risk of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection than those without such conditions. A community-based study published in Open Forum Infectious Disease followed 7,501 adults aged 18–64 years over 2 RSV seasons. Overall, RSV acute respiratory infection rates were similar in adults with and without HRCs (17.9 cases per 1,000 person-years vs 14.8 cases per 1,000 …

Abstracts in Urgent Care – July-August 2026

Pediatric Antibiotic Prescribing: In-Person Vs Telemedicine Take Home Point: Telemedicine integrated within primary care was associated with more judicious antibiotic prescribing without increased follow-up visits or inappropriate antibiotic use. Primary care telemedicine may improve access to care while supporting antibiotic stewardship efforts. Citation: Ray K, Wittman S, Kelly M, et al. Primary Care Telemedicine vs In-Person Antibiotic Prescribing for Pediatric Respiratory Tract Infections. JAMA Netw Open. 2026;9(5):e2610062. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.10062. Relevance: Acute respiratory illness (ARI) is a …

Updated Evidence-Based Pediatric Asthma Management for the Urgent Care Provider

Urgent Message: Acute asthma exacerbations commonly present to urgent care, and providers must be well-equipped to recognize asthma exacerbations and be familiar with management recommendations. Samantha Shear, DO; Laura Calderon Suarez, MD; Maria Sara Valle Nodal, MD Keywords: pediatric asthma; asthma exacerbation; spirometry; inhaled corticosteroids; bronchodilator therapy; urgent care Abstract Overview: Asthma affects nearly 10% of children globally, with an estimated 95.7 million cases reported in 2021. This review discusses updates from the 2025 Global …

Triple Inhaler Approved For Maintenance Treatment Of Asthma

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a fixed-dose triple inhaler containing budesonide/glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate for maintenance treatment of asthma in patients aged 12 years and older, according to the manufacturer in a press release. The single-inhaler regimen combines a corticosteroid and a long-acting beta2-agonist with a long-acting muscarinic antagonist. The inhaler is intended for asthma patients not adequately controlled on dual therapy. Approval was based on phase III trials, which showed statistically significant improvements in …

Wheezing as a Pneumothorax Presentation: A Case Report

Urgent Message: For patients with presumed asthma exacerbation, clinicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for other etiologies, including pneumothorax. This may help avoid delays in potentially life-saving interventions when symptoms persist despite treatment or when physical exam findings are atypical. Badi Eghterafi, DO; Nazanin Hazhir Karzar, MD Keywords: asthma, wheezing, chest pain, pneumothorax, spontaneous pneumothorax Abstract Introduction: Large spontaneous pneumothorax is an uncommon but critical complication in patients with asthma. Clinicians evaluating presumed …

Forthcoming Asthma Guidelines Look To Address Systemic Corticosteroid Use

Anticipated updates for asthma treatment guidelines are shifting away from oral or systemic corticosteroids because of increasing evidence of long-term harm. Negative effects can come from even short, intermittent use, according to coverage in MedPage Today of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology meeting. Studies show that as few as 3 or 4 steroid bursts over a lifetime may lead to side effects such as bone loss, metabolic disorders, and adrenal suppression. The …

Stormy Days Equal More ED Visits For Those With Asthma

A 5-year study that was presented this month at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology finds that thunderstorms can trigger measurable increases in asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits. Researchers analyzed 4,439 asthma-related visits across 3 hospitals in Kansas from January 2020 to December 2024, during which time, they identified 38 thunderstorm days. Data showed the mean number of admissions on storm days (17.91) was significantly higher than on …

Dyspnea in an Asthmatic Patient Following an Influenza Infection: A Case Report

Urgent Message: While patients with asthma will frequently experience exacerbations following viral respiratory infections, the urgent care clinician must be cautious when assuming dyspnea is due to asthma. As dyspnea can be caused by a wide variety of conditions, it is important to maintain a broad differential diagnoses, even in patients with underlying asthma. Tracey Quail Davidoff, MD, FCUCM Key words: Influenza, Dyspnea, Asthma, Congestive Heart Failure, Myocarditis, Diagnosis Momentum Abstract Introduction: Patients commonly present …

Brief Report: A Pilot Quality and Feasibility Project Focusing on Clinician Use of an Order Set for Acute Asthma Care in Pediatric Urgent Care Centers

Urgent Message: There are limited data on implementation and use of clinical decision support tools for the evidence-based management of asthma in pediatric urgent care settings. In this pilot project, providing reports and feedback to clinicians on their use of order sets increased utilization of order sets but not adherence to best practice guidelines for asthma care. Richmond Darko, MD, MPH; Andrea Aguilera, MD; Gabriela Lins, DO; Maria Ramon-Coton, MD Citation: Darko R, Aguilera A, …

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