The foundation of asthma management is establishing an accurate diagnosis based on objective measures (eg, spirometry) in individuals six years of age and over. Emphasis is placed on the similarities and differences between pediatric and adult asthma management approaches to achieve asthma control.

Background Despite advances in treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF), pulmonary exacerbations remain common. The aim of this study was to determine if frequent pulmonary exacerbations are associated with greater declines in lung function, or an accelerated time to death or lung transplantation in adults with CF. Methods A 3-year prospective cohort study was conducted on 446 adult patients with CF from Ontario, Canada who could spontaneously produce sputum. Patients enrolled from 2005 to 2008 and were stratified into groups based upon their exacerbation rates over the 3 year study: <1 exacerbation/year (n¼140), 1e2 exacerbations/year (n¼160) and >2 exacerbations/year (n¼146). Exacerbations were defined as acute/subacute worsening of respiratory symptoms severe enough to warrant oral or intravenous antibiotics. Patient-related factors associated with frequent exacerbations were determined, and clinical outcomes were compared among the three exacerbation groups. Results Patients with frequent exacerbations were more likely to be female, diabetic and have poorer baseline lung function. Patients with >2 exacerbations/year had an increased risk of experiencing a 5% decline from baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ); unadjusted HR 1.47 (95% CI 1.07 to 2.01, p¼0.02), adjusted HR 1.55 (95% CI 1.10 to 2.18, p¼0.01) compared with patients with <1 exacerbation/year. Patients with >2 exacerbations/year also had an increased risk of lung transplant or death over the 3 year study; unadjusted HR 12.74 (95% CI 3.92 to 41.36, p<0.0001), adjusted HR 4.05 (95% CI 1.15 to 14.28, p¼0.03). Conclusions Patients with CF with frequent exacerbations appear to experience an accelerated decline in lung function, and they have an increased 3 year risk of death or lung transplant.

SEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA IS A gram-negative bacterium that causes chronic endobronchial infections in 60% to 70% of adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). 1 Infection with P aeruginosa is associated with increased morbidity and mortality for patients with CF, irrespective of lung function. 2,3 However, there is heterogeneity in the type and timing of outcome among those who are infected with P aeruginosa; some patients experience a rapid decline in pulmonary function after infection and others harbor the organism for extended periods without any obvious adverse effects. 4 The marked difference in prognosis among patients with P aeruginosa has not been adequately explained , but it may be due in part to differences among infecting strains. 5 P aeruginosa transmissible strains are genetically identical strains that infect Author Affiliations are listed at the end of this article.

RATIONALE: While severe asthma affects approximately 5% of all individuals with asthma, this small minority of individuals accounts for a large proportion of the asthma-related costs. Greater understanding of the pathophysiology of asthma combined with the emergence of novel biologic therapies for severe asthma supported the need for a thorough review of the diagnosis, investigation, phenotyping, and management of severe asthma. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to propose a practical approach to distinguish uncontrolled asthma due to inadequate asthma management from severe asthma despite optimal asthma management. Moreover, based on emerging scientific evidence, we sought to provide guidance for characterizing individuals with severe asthma and considering a phenotype-specific management. We also aimed to review other novel new potential therapeutic approaches. METHODS: We systematically reviewed the relevant literature focusing on randomized controlled trials and when available, systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials. The proposed key messages, based on scientific evidence and expert opinion, were agreed upon by unanimous consensus. MAIN RESULTS: We defined severe asthma and outlined its significant impact from the societal and patient perspectives. We outlined a practical approach to distinguish severe from uncontrolled but not severe asthma, based on stepwise investigation and management of potential reasons for uncontrolled asthma. After reviewing the current evidence we concluded that: 1) Several biomarkers (e.g. sputum or blood eosinophil count, total IgE, or FeNO) can help identify potential responders to new therapeutic options; 2) Tiotropium may be considered as an add-on therapy for individuals 12 years of age and over with severe asthma uncontrolled despite combination ICS/LABA therapy; 3) The chronic use of macrolides may decrease asthma exacerbations in individuals 18 years of age and over with severe asthma independent of their inflammatory profile; 4) Children aged 6 years and older and adults who are sensitized to at least one relevant perennial allergen and who remain poorly controlled asthmatics despite high dose ICS and a second controller can benefit from the addition of anti-IgE therapy to reduce asthma exacerbations; due to the known risk of side effects associated with high-dose ICS in children, omalizumab should also be considered in children and adolescents who repeatedly exacerbate or have poor control when therapy is stepped down from high-dose to moderate-dose ICS and at least one other controller; 5) Anti-IL5 therapies may be considered for adults 18 years of age and over with severe eosinophilic asthma who experience recurrent asthma exacerbations in spite of high doses of ICS in addition to at least one other controller; and 6) Although bronchial thermoplasty has shown a decrease in asthma exacerbations in one study, its role in the treatment of severe asthma remains uncertain. CONCLUSIONS: After reviewing existing and emerging therapies for severe asthma, we developed ke...

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