The prevalence of small airways disease in adult asthma: A systematic literature review
A new review paper on the Respiratory Medicine Journal confirms the impact of small airways dysfunction and inflammation in adult patients with asthma.
This systematic literature review analyzes the prevalence of small airways disease (SAD) in adult patients with asthma, and to ascertain how SAD prevalence compares between different studies when measured using different methods of assessment.
The methodological techniques used in these studies to identify SAD are:
- Spirometry, plethysmography and volume assessment
- Impulse oscillometry
- Multiple-breath nitrogen washout
- High-resolution computed tomography
In conclusion, studies conducted using different techniques to assess SAD collectively indicate that SAD is prevalent across the range of asthma disease severity, even in patients with milder disease. Given its clinical impact, the presence of SAD should not be underestimated or overlooked as part of the management of patients with asthma.
The article details are the following:
- Title: "The prevalence of small airways disease in adult asthma: A systematic literature review"
- Authors: Usmani OS, Singh D, Spinola M, Bizzi A, Barnes PJ
- Published in: Respir Med. 2016 Jul;116:19-27
The study is available free to download at the following link: click here
