GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF ASTHMA IN CHILDREN 5 YEARS AND YOUNGER

Soren Pedersen (1) , Suzanne Hurd (2) , Robert Lemanske (3) , Allan Becker (4) , Heather Zar (5) , Peter Sly (6) , Manuel Soto-Quiroz (7) , Gary Wong (8) , Eric Bateman (5)

1 SDU - University of Southern Denmark
2 2Global Initiative for Asthma
3 University of Wisconsin-Madison
4 Pediatrics and Child Health
5 University of Cape Town
6 Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
7 National Children's Hospital
8 Childrens Hospital

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood and the leading cause of childhood morbidity from chronic disease as measured by school absences, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations1. Many scientific advances have improved our understanding of asthma and our ability to manage and control it effectively. However, in children 5 years and younger, the clinical symptoms of asthma are variable and non-specific. Furthermore, neither airflow limitation nor airway inflammation can be assessed routinely in this age group. For this reason, to aid in the diagnosis of asthma in young children, a symptoms-only descriptive approach that includes the definition of various wheezing phenotypes has been recommended2. In 1993, the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) was implemented to develop a network of individuals, organizations, and public health officials to disseminate information about the care of patients with asthma while at the same time assuring a mechanism to incorporate the results of scientific investigations into asthma care. In this report, Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention in Children 5 Years and Younger, an effort has been made to present the special challenges that must be taken into account in managing asthma in children during the first 5 years of life, including difficulties with diagnosis, the efficacy and safety of drugs and drug delivery systems, and the lack of data on new therapies. Approaches to these issues will vary among populations in the world based on socioeconomic conditions, genetic diversity, cultural beliefs, and differences in health care access and delivery.

Mots clés: Medicine

Soren Pedersen, Suzanne Hurd, Robert Lemanske, Allan Becker, Heather Zar, et al.. GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF ASTHMA IN CHILDREN 5 YEARS AND YOUNGER. Pediatric Pulmonology, 2010, 46 (1), pp.1. ⟨10.1002/ppul.21321⟩. ⟨hal-00599822⟩