Treat paediatric asthma with a personalised and stepwise approach

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that causes recurrent symptoms such as wheeze, shortness of breath and cough. It is characterised by airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness and variable expiratory airflow. Pharmacological management of paediatric asthma involves a stepwise approach, with inhaled corticosteroids as the mainstay of therapy. Maintenance-and-reliever therapy using a single inhaler containing a combination of an inhaled corticosteroid plus formoterol is recommended as both maintenance treatment and for the relief of acute asthma symptoms, which can improve treatment adherence. A personalised approach to paediatric asthma treatment can involve the use of biologics (reserved for the treatment of severe, uncontrolled asthma) and genotype-directed prescribing.