What is it?
For those of you who have searched for this article, you already know what
asthma is, but for the rest, here is a short overview:
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects over 300 million people
worldwide and is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity.
Remission, as in any other condition, is characterised by a high level of disease
control, including the absence of symptoms and exacerbations. In asthma
remission, it also includes the normalisation of lung function.
Criteria
Absence of asthma symptoms:
- Asthma Control Test score of 20/25 to 25/25
- Asthma Control Questionnaire score of <1.5
Absence of asthma exacerbations or attacks
Stable lung function
Types
- Clinical remission:
Partial clinical remission is achieved when there is no further need to use oral
corticosteroids and two out of three criteria are met. This includes no
symptoms, no attacks, and optimisation of lung function.
- Complete remission:
Complete clinical remission is obtained when there is no further need to use
oral corticosteroids and all three criteria are met. This includes clinical
remission plus normalisation of underlying lung pathology.
Now, let’s discuss the predictors for asthma remission:
High rates of asthma remission:
- Male sex
- Milder and intermittent symptoms
- Leukaemia
- Weight loss (both surgical and non-surgical)
- Immunotherapy
Low rates of asthma remission:
- Female sex
- Pneumonia
Can asthma remission be achieved?
Ultimately, shared decision-making between patients and healthcare
professionals is essential in reducing the burden and improving outcomes.
