Advances in pediatric asthma in 2008: Where do we go now?
Received 12 November 2008; accepted 14 November 2008.
This year's summary focuses on recent advances in pediatric asthma as reported in Journal publications in 2008. New National Asthma Education and Prevention Program asthma guidelines were released in 2007 with a special emphasis on asthma control. Attention was redirected to methods that could reduce impairment, specifically symptom control, and minimize risk, including exacerbations. Journal theme issues in 2008 focused on several relevant asthma topics including asthma exacerbations, exercise-induced bronchospasm, asthma and obesity, and occupational asthma. This review highlights Journal articles and related articles that reinforce principles of the guidelines and also direct us to new information that will advance asthma care for children. A major step forward will be finding ways to implement the asthma guidelines.
Divisions of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology and Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colo
Reprint requests: Stanley J. Szefler, MD, National Jewish Health, 1400 Jackson Street, Room J304 Molly Blank Building, Denver, CO 80206.
Supported in part by Public Health Services Research Grants HR-16048, HL64288, HL51834, AI-25496, HL081335, and HL075416; General Clinical Research Center Grant 5 MO1 RR00051; and the Colorado Cancer, Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Disease Program.
Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: S. J. Szefler has served as a consultant for GlaxoSmithKline, Genentech, and Merck and has received research support from the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Ross Pharmaceuticals, and GlaxoSmithKline.
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