Asthma therapy for children under 5 years of age

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The evidence for effectiveness of currently used asthma medication for wheeze in young children is reviewed. RECENT FINDINGS: The management of the infant and preschool child with wheezing is complicated by the uncertainty with respect to the aetiology. Difficulties in defining phenotypes and objective outcome parameters combined with the transient nature of symptoms which often resolve spontaneously have confounded many therapeutic studies. Recent studies on the effect of pharmacotherapy in wheezing infants have tried to define a more homogeneous phenotype as well as make a selection of patients that are likely to respond to the studied drug. In addition, these studies have used lung function parameters and nitric oxide as one of the outcome measurements. Studies on the nature of inflammation and the development of airway remodelling in infants and young children are done to further define phenotypes. SUMMARY: Currently, there are no evidence-based guidelines and not even consensus statements on the right approach in pharmacological treatment of wheezing in infants and preschool children. The main issue still is the difficulty in coming to a correct diagnosis. Further studies are needed on the nature and the diagnostics of phenotypes and on the effect of early intervention.

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