The assessment of childhood asthma.
The development of independent outcome measures for assessing the severity of asthma seems justified. The various outcomes measures listed by the guidelines (symptoms, nocturnal awakenings, rescue beta2-agonist use, and lung function) and their response to therapy are predictive of severe exacerbations from asthma. They do not necessarily strongly correlate with each other, however. Measures of AHR, particularly methacholine provocation, and the measurement of FeNO are attractive as assessments of ongoing asthma activity in children when lung function and symptoms are normal.
Kelly
H William
HW
Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, 2211 Loma Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. hwkelly@unm.edu
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D010808:Physical Examination; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents