title: An approach to preschool wheezing: to label as asthma?
abstract: Asthma is considered a chronic disease, but not all preschool wheezing is asthma since most will eventually grow out of their symptoms. Although still a matter of debate, preschool wheezing can be classified in 2 major groups: virus-induced wheezing and multitrigger wheezing, having a different prognosis and a different treatment approach. Virus-induced wheezing is the most common phenotype of preschool wheezing and is usually associated with a good prognosis. Treatment should be conservative, but if preventive treatment is required, leukotriene-receptor antagonists might be the first choice treatment. Multitrigger wheezing is associated with an allergic disposition and has a higher risk of persistent symptoms. Inhaled corticosteroids may give short-term reduction in exacerbations, but the beneficial effect of long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids and other anti-inflammatory agents have not yet been established. This review aims to give an opinion on preschool wheezing, and its association with asthma.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics, YLL School of Medicine, National University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hugo P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Van Bever
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Lynette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shek
authors.forename: Seo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yi Chng
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goh