Title
Definition, Evaluation and Treatment of Severe Asthma
Authoring Organizations
Publication Month/Year
February 3, 2014
Last Updated Month/Year
October 4, 2024
Supplemental Implementation Tools
Document Type
Guideline
External Publication Status
Published
Country of Publication
Global
Document Objectives
The purpose of this document is to revise the definition of severe asthma, discuss the possible phenotypes and provide guidance about the management of patients with severe asthma. The target audience of these guidelines is specialists in respiratory medicine and allergy managing adults and children with severe asthma. General internists, paediatricians, primary care physicians, other healthcare professionals and policy makers may also benefit from these guidelines. This document may also serve as the basis for development and implementation of locally adapted guidelines.
Target Patient Population
Patients with asthma
Target Provider Population
General internists, pediatricians, primary care physicians
PICO Questions
Should chest HRCT scans be routinely ordered in patients with symptoms of severe asthma without known specific indications for performing this test (based on history, symptoms and/or results of other investigations)?
Should treatment guided by sputum eosinophil count, rather than treatment guided by clinical criteria alone, be used in patients with severe asthma?
Should treatment guided by FeNO in addition to clinical criteria, rather than treatment guided by clinical criteria alone, be used in patients with severe asthma?
Should a monoclonal anti-IgE antibody be used in patients with severe allergic asthma?
Should methotrexate be used in the treatment of severe asthma?
Should macrolide antibiotics be used in patients with severe asthma?
Should antifungal agents be used in patients with severe asthma?
Should bronchial thermoplasty be used in patients with severe asthma?
Inclusion Criteria
Male, Female, Adolescent, Adult, Child, Older adult
Health Care Settings
Ambulatory, Childcare center, School
Intended Users
Nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant
Scope
Diagnosis, Assessment and screening, Treatment, Management
Keywords
asthma, severe asthma, eosinophils