Monitoring of Childhood Asthma

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, which is characterized by episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, with reversible airway obstruction and airway hyperresponsiveness. Worldwide asthma affects 5-10% of all schoolchildren and in most countries the prevalence is still increasing. Antiinflammatory drugs, with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as first choice, are the mainstay of asthma treatment and guidelines recommend a step up-step down scheme when adjusting asthma treatment. The goals of asthma treatment are to reduce symptoms, to allow for a normal and active life, and to reduce future risks to the patient. In this respect ‘asthma control’ has become a central concept in asthma management.