Volume 19 Issue 1 March 2010Review
From asthma severity to control: a shift in clinical practice
Pages 3-9
*Søren Pedersen
Pediatric Research Unit, Kolding Hospital, Kolding, Denmark
Received 18 May 2009 • Accepted 18 July 2009 • Online 16 October 2009
Abstract
Variability is a characteristic feature of asthma, and the aim of asthma management is to eliminate or minimise disease variability.
Controlled asthma shows little or no variability, and is achievable and sustainable in the majority of patients. New international guidelines
recommend control-driven management rather than management based on disease severity. Good asthma control is associated with
reductions in patients’ perception of the asthma burden, reduced healthcare resource utilisation, lower levels of impairment/restriction,
normal quality of life, and low risk of exacerbations. Asthma control involves the control of several outcomes. Its assessment should
include components relevant to achievement of best possible clinical control and reduction of future risk of adverse outcomes. Focusing
on a single or a few outcomes can lead to incorrect control assessment and increased risk of under-treatment. Several validated asthma
control assessment tools have been developed to facilitate correct assessment of the level of control in clinical practice. It is hoped that
focusing on control will reduce the frequency of sub-optimal treatment in the primary care setting. Further validation of the best way to
assess control easily and accurately, and the implementation of control-driven management, are the two most important challenges for
the future of asthma management.
Keywords
Asthma, control, assessment, severity, variability, treatment, management, primary care
* Corresponding author. Søren Pedersen Tel: +45 7636 2223 Fax: +45 7636 3479 Email: spconsult@post1.tele.dk | |
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