Azithromycin for Critical Asthma - Pediatrics

This study is testing whether an antibiotic called azithromycin, given early to children admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with a severe asthma attack, can shorten the length of their hospital stay and reduce the severity of the attack. **You may be eligible if...** - You are between 3 and 17 years old - You have been admitted to a pediatric ICU (PICU) with a primary diagnosis of severe asthma - You are receiving continuous inhaled or intravenous medications to open the airways (beta-agonist therapy) - You are receiving IV corticosteroids (steroids given through a drip) **You may NOT be eligible if...** - You have unrepaired congenital heart disease - You have a tracheostomy - You are already taking azithromycin or a similar antibiotic (macrolide) - You have a known history of long QT syndrome or heart arrhythmias - You have another lung condition such as cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, or sickle cell acute chest syndrome Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.