Asthma in developing countries in the Asia‐Pacific Region (APR)

Abstract

There is growing interest in the epidemiology of asthma in developing countries, especially in the Asia‐Pacific Region (APR). A number of reviews have been published in this field, but a comprehensive synthesis of overall data has not been reported. Here, we summarized the burden, risk factors and challenges of asthma management in developing countries with a specific emphasis on the APR by consolidating evidence from both systematic and narrative reviews published up until February 2023. We found that although asthma prevalence in low and low‐middle‐income countries (LMICs) is known to be generally lower compared to high‐income countries, the burden is substantially greater. Studies conducted in APR LMIC have reported a range of risk factors, including pre‐ and post‐natal factors, environmental considerations, lifestyle measures, individual features and genetics. The low and inequitable distribution of quality preventive and curative health care, a lack of advanced diagnostic measures, non‐availability and non‐affordability of novel therapeutics, cultural beliefs and practices, and diverse disease phenotypes make it challenging to achieve optimal asthma control in the region. Hence, we call for the development of a region‐specific blueprint for action to mitigate this challenging situation, to help reduce the burden of asthma in APR LMIC.

Contemporary Concise Review 2023: Asthma

“…The desire to achieve remission can motivate swapping between biologics, a treatment option that may become the norm rather than exception 29 . Finally, remission as a target of asthma treatment may not be realistic in developing countries whose access to biologic therapies may be limited 63 …”

Dietary Polyphenols, Plant Metabolites, and Allergic Disorders: A Comprehensive Review

“…The incidence of allergic illnesses has risen significantly in the last two to three decades, and it is currently impacting not only developed nations but also underdeveloped/developing economies [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Given the unlikelihood of genetic predispositions being the only factor responsible, it is more appropriate to explain this significant rising trend by alterations in environmental factors.…”

Dietary Polyphenols—Natural Bioactive Compounds with Potential for Preventing and Treating Some Allergic Conditions

“…The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased dramatically over the past two to three decades, and the second wave of the allergy epidemic is now affecting not only the Western world but also developing countries [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Assuming that modifications in genetic predispositions over such a time frame are unlikely, this dramatic upward trend should rather be attributed to changing environmental factors.…”