What adjunctive treatment may be beneficial if a patient’s asthma symptoms do not improve after initial treatment with a nebulized SABA?

Intravenous magnesium sulfate can be beneficial for patients experiencing severe asthma exacerbations that do not respond adequately to traditional bronchodilator treatments like nebulized short-acting beta-agonists (SABA). Magnesium sulfate acts as a bronchodilator by relaxing airway smooth muscle and reducing inflammation in the airways, thus helping to alleviate severe obstruction.

While the other options could be considered in different scenarios, they may not be as immediately effective in the face of severe symptoms. For instance, while corticosteroids can improve inflammation over time, they do not provide immediate relief. Increasing the frequency of nebulized albuterol may lead to additional side effects or provide diminishing returns in terms of symptomatic relief. Inhalation of cold air is generally not a standard medical intervention for asthma exacerbations and may not provide the necessary rapid effect to open the airways.

Using intravenous magnesium sulfate offers a unique therapeutic approach that can be particularly useful in critical situations, especially when standard treatments fail to yield adequate results.