The Diagnosis of 'Current Asthma' for the Research Asthmatic

摘要

The diagnosis of asthma is a constantly changing and depends on evolving knowledge. The classic diagnosis of asthma promulgated by the American Thoracic Society many years ago was: "a disease characterized by an increased responsiveness of the trachea and bronchi to various stimuli and manifested by a widespread narrowing of the airways that changes in severity either spontaneously or as a result of therapy." (1). With increased awareness of the inflammatory component of asthma and its interrelationship with airway hyperresponsiveness a more recent and broader definition of asthma is now embraced. This definition has the following three components: (1) airway obstruction that is usually (may not be totally reversible in some long-standing asthmatics) completely reversible either spontaneously or with treatment; (2) airway inflammation; (3) increased airway responsiveness to a variety of stimuli (2).