Pediatric Asthma Severity Score (PASS)
Scores severity of acute asthma exacerbation in children aged 1–18 years. Guides treatment decisions and disposition (discharge vs hospital admission).
Score interpretation
Lower severity on the Pediatric Asthma Severity Score (0–6).
→ Inhaled bronchodilator via spacer; reassess after treatment; discharge with a written asthma action plan if improving.
A PASS above 2 predicts an ED stay longer than 6 hours or hospital admission (Gorelick 2004).
→ Repeated bronchodilators, ipratropium and a systemic corticosteroid (doses from a children's formulary); reassess frequently; escalate (IV therapy, senior / PICU review) if not improving.
Interpretation bands for the PASS. Apply clinical judgement and local guidance.
References
- Gorelick MH, Stevens MW, Schultz TR, Scribano PV. Performance of a novel clinical score, the pediatric asthma severity score (PASS), in the evaluation of acute asthma. Acad Emerg Med. 2004;11(1):10–18.
- Lee MO, Sivasankar S, Pokrajac N, Smith C, Lumba-Brown A. Emergency department treatment of asthma in children: a review. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open. 2020;1(6):1552–1561.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
- Salbutamol (Paediatric — Asthma/Wheeze) · Short-Acting Beta-2 Agonist (SABA)
- Prednisolone (Paediatric) · Corticosteroid — Asthma Exacerbation / Croup / Nephrotic Syndrome / IBD
- Montelukast (Paediatric) · Leukotriene Receptor Antagonist — Asthma Prophylaxis / Allergic Rhinitis
- Magnesium Sulphate IV (Acute Asthma) · Bronchodilator / Smooth muscle relaxant
- Doxapram hydrochloride · Respiratory stimulant
- Aminophylline IV · Xanthine bronchodilator (theophylline ethylenediamine)
Decision support only — verify against a current formulary, NICE, or your local guideline before clinical use.