OBJECTIVES: To evaluate clinical characteristics and QOL of in patients with ER visit or hospitalization for asthma attack. METHODS: The medical records of patients between Jan. 2001 and May. 2002, were reviewed retrospectively and phone-surveyed on their quality of life during the past 2weeks using QLQAKA(Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adult Korean Asthmatics) developed by "The Korean Society of Allergoloy". RESULTS: A total of 61 out of 80 patients were eligible for the inclusion criteria, 42 of whom were women(69%). Mean age was 48.9°¾12.5 years, asthma duration was 56.08+47.9 months, mean number of ED visits were 2.38°¾1.8, days of hospitalization were 6.1°¾5.6. The numbers of medications prescribed for asthma was 7.19°¾1.64, the frequency of oral corticosteroids prescribed were 47 case(87%), number of patients with oral corticosteroids were 35(57%). The mean predicted value of FEV1 was 70.5°¾20.9%. Asthma severities of patients were mild persistent 18(30%), moderate persistent 26(42%), severe persistent 17(28%). Clinical features highly correlated with exacerbation of asthma were duration of the disease (p=0.05) and frequency of ED visits. QOL was lower as asthma was more severe. QOL score in environmental domain was the lowest, 2.61°¾0.96. QOL was lower in women (p=0.05) and patients with more ER visits visited (p=0.002). The group with oral corticosteroids had lower scores of QOL(p=0.01) than groups with inhaler or without any medication. In the group with regular use of inhaled corticosteroids, QOL was higher in the activity domain. CONCLUSION: It suggests more utilization of stepwise approach in asthma care guidelines on the basis of asthma severity to reduce ER visits and to improve quality of life.