Understanding mild persistent asthma in children: the next frontier.
Limitations in asthma prevalence studies and difficulties in diagnosing pediatric asthma lead to uncertainty over the full extent of mild persistent asthma in children and adolescents. Although recent surveys have reported that the majority of pediatric patients with asthma in the United States and Europe have symptoms consistent with mild disease, these surveys have limitations in design. Thus, the true prevalence of mild asthma remains unknown. It is unclear whether children with mild persistent asthma progress to more severe asthma, but the risk of severe asthma exacerbations seems to be unrelated to the symptom severity. Clinical studies restricted to pediatric patients with mild asthma are limited, but available data do suggest substantial morbidity of mild persistent asthma in this population and support inhaled corticosteroid intervention. There is a need for further investigation into the true prevalence of mild persistent asthma in children and adolescents, and optimal treatment.
Bisgaard
Hans
H
Danish Paediatric Asthma Center, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Copenhagen, DK-2900 Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark. Bisgaard@copsac.dk
Szefler
Stanley J
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012107:Research Design
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents