title: Complex phenotypes in asthma: current definitions.
abstract: Asthma is increasingly recognized as a heterogeneous disease. However, identification of different subgroups or phenotypes has been complex and controversial. The convergence of both clinical and statistical approaches to grouping patients and their characteristics, in association with increasing recognition of molecular patterns is now beginning to move the field forward. Integration of efficacy data with targeted molecular therapies will eventually lead to more complete understanding of these "molecular phenotypes" and eventually lead to the identification of fully defined endotypes. This process should improve our ability to treat more complex and severe forms of asthma.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Asthma Institute@UPMC, Division of Pulmonary Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, NW 931 Montefiore, 3459 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: wenzelse@upmc.edu.
authors.forename: Sally E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Wenzel
mesh_terms: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D010641:Phenotype; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents
keywords: Asthma; Endotypes; Eosinophilic; Phenotypes; Th2