A patient with a history of asthma enters the Emergency department with severe dyspnea, accessory muscle involvement, neck vein distention, and severe inspiratory/expiratory wheezing. The nurse should prepare to assist the physician with which procedure if the patient does not respond to initial interventions?

A. Immunodeficiency does not directly cause endocrine disorders, although some immune system issues can affect endocrine function, such as in autoimmune diseases.

B. Adenomas (benign tumors) are the most common cause of endocrine disorders, as they can overproduce hormones or disrupt normal gland function, leading to conditions like hyperthyroidism or Cushing's disease.

C. Surgical removal of endocrine glands may cause endocrine disorders, but it is a result of treatment rather than a common cause.

D. Infection can lead to endocrine disorders, particularly in cases of infectious diseases affecting specific glands (e.g., thyroiditis), but it is not the most common cause overall.

A. Needle thoracentesis is typically performed in cases of pneumothorax or pleural effusion, not asthma exacerbation. The symptoms described do not indicate a pleural space issue that would require thoracentesis.

B. Emergency intubation may be necessary if the asthma exacerbation is severe and unresponsive to initial interventions such as bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and oxygen therapy. The patient's symptoms of severe dyspnea, accessory muscle use, and wheezing suggest respiratory distress, and intubation may be required to secure the airway and assist with ventilation.

C. Pleurodesis is a procedure used to treat recurrent pleural effusions, not asthma exacerbations. It involves the obliteration of the pleural space, which is not relevant to the current situation.

D. Chest tube insertion is typically performed for pneumothorax or other issues involving the pleural space, not for asthma exacerbation. The described symptoms do not suggest the need for a chest tube.