Diagnosis and treatment of asthma in childhood: a PRACTALL consensus report

• Published in: Allergy Vol. 63; no. 1; pp. 5 - 34
• Main Authors: Bacharier, L.B, Boner, A, Carlsen, K.-H, Eigenmann, P.A, Frischer, T, Götz, M, Helms, P.J, Hunt, J, Liu, A, Papadopoulos, N, Platts-Mills, T, Pohunek, P, Simons, F.E.R, Valovirta, E, Wahn, U, Wildhaber, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-01-2008; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Asthma - diagnosis; Asthma - therapy; Child; Child, Preschool; diagnosis; disease diagnosis; education; Europe; Female; guidelines; Humans; Male; monitoring; pediatric asthma; Practice Guidelines as Topic - standards; treatment; United States; United States; Europe
• ISSN: 0105-4538; 1398-9995; 0108-1675
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2007.01586.x

Asthma is the leading chronic disease among children in most industrialized countries. However, the evidence base on specific aspects of pediatric asthma, including therapeutic strategies, is limited and no recent international guidelines have focused exclusively on pediatric asthma. As a result, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology nominated expert teams to find a consensus to serve as a guideline for clinical practice in Europe as well as in North America. This consensus report recommends strategies that include pharmacological treatment, allergen and trigger avoidance and asthma education. The report is part of the PRACTALL initiative ** , which is endorsed by both academies.