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Louis R, Satia I, Ojanguren I, Schleich F, Bonini M, Tonia T, Rigau D, Ten Brinke A, Buhl R, Loukides S, Kocks JWH, Boulet LP, Bourdin A, Coleman C, Needham K, Thomas M, Idzko M, Papi A, Porsbjerg C, Schuermans D, Soriano JB, Usmani OS. European Respiratory Society Guidelines for the Diagnosis of Asthma in Adults. Eur Respir J 2022; 60:2101585. [PMID: 35169025 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01585-2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Although asthma is very common affecting 5-10% of the population, the diagnosis of asthma in adults remains a challenge in the real world that results in both over- and under-diagnosis. A task force (TF) was set up by the European Respiratory Society to systematically review the literature on the diagnostic accuracy of tests used to diagnose asthma in adult patients and provide recommendation for clinical practice.The TF defined eight PICO (Population, Index, Comparator, and Outcome) questions that were assessed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach, The TF utilised the outcomes to develop an evidenced-based diagnostic algorithm, with recommendations for a pragmatic guideline for everyday practice that was directed by real-life patient experiences.The TF support the initial use of spirometry followed, and if airway obstruction is present, by bronchodilator reversibility testing. If initial spirometry fails to show obstruction, further tests should be performed in the following order: FeNO, PEF variability or in secondary care, bronchial challenge. We present the thresholds for each test that are compatible with a diagnosis of asthma in the presence of current symptoms.The TF reinforce the priority to undertake spirometry and recognise the value of measuring blood eosinophils and serum IgE to phenotype the patient. Measuring gas trapping by body plethysmography in patients with preserved FEV1/FVC ratio deserves further attention. The TF draw attention on the difficulty of making a correct diagnosis in patients already receiving inhaled corticosteroids, the comorbidities that may obscure the diagnosis, the importance of phenotyping, and the necessity to consider the patient experience in the diagnostic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renaud Louis
- CHU de Liege University Hospital Centre Ville, Liege, Belgium
- First author, Task force chair
| | - Imran Satia
- McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- All authors contributed equally
| | - Inigo Ojanguren
- Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- All authors contributed equally
| | - Florence Schleich
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Liege, Liège, Belgium
- All authors contributed equally
| | - Matteo Bonini
- Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- All authors contributed equally
| | - Thomy Tonia
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - David Rigau
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anne Ten Brinke
- CHU de Liege University Hospital Centre Ville, Liege, Belgium
| | - Roland Buhl
- Pulmonary Department, Mainz University Hospital, Mainz, Germany
| | | | | | - Louis-Philippe Boulet
- Pneumologie, Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec - Université Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Mike Thomas
- Primary Care and Population Sciences Division, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Marco Idzko
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alberto Papi
- Respiratory Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Celeste Porsbjerg
- Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen NV, Denmark
| | - Daniel Schuermans
- Respiratory Division, Academic Hospital UZBrussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joan B Soriano
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Madrid, Spain
| | - Omar S Usmani
- Asthma Lab, National Heart and Lung Institute, London, UK
- Corresponding author, Task force co-chair
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