Extract
We would like to raise our considerable concern regarding a potential major change in the management of exacerbations of asthma which is soon to be discussed in the European Union (EU). The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) has recently changed their recommendation regarding management of patients with mild asthma. Instead of using only short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) as needed, GINA suggests that all patients should also be using inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) simultaneously. This was based on a few studies that have used “as needed” ICS/long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) for acute asthma. A group of authors has hailed this change as “the most fundamental change in asthma management in 30 years” and explained, in detail, the reasons for the change in an article recently published in the European Respiratory Journal [1].
Abstract
Changes in GINA guidelines should be confirmed by an independent body of experts in asthma management http://bit.ly/2zbUHp8
Footnotes
Author contributions: Conception, design, and drafting of the manuscript: I. Amirav and M.T. Newhouse.
Conflict of interest: I. Amirav has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: M.T. Newhouse is employed by InspiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. as the Chief Medical Officer and has patents through InspiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (6,470.882; 8,119,016; D 689,602; D 685,085; and D 686725; pending: US 2012/0318261 and 2012/0318265).
- Received August 11, 2019.
- Accepted August 14, 2019.
- Copyright ©ERS 2019