Schuh S, Sweeney J, Rumantir M, et al. - Researchers aimed at ascertaining the effectiveness of nebulized magnesium in children with acute asthma remaining in moderate or severe respiratory distress after evidence-based standardized initial therapy. They conducted a randomized double-blind parallel-group clinical trial including 816 otherwise healthy children aged 2 to 17 years with moderate to severe asthma after a 1-hour treatment with an oral corticosteroid and 3 inhaled albuterol and ipratropium treatments. Three nebulized albuterol treatments with either magnesium sulfate (n = 410) or 5.5% saline placebo (n = 408) were provided to the participants. No significantly decreased rate of hospitalization for asthma within 24 hours was observed in correlation with nebulized magnesium with albuterol vs placebo with albuterol (43.5% vs 47.7%, respectively). Findings thereby yield no support for using nebulized magnesium with albuterol among children with refractory acute asthma.