Evidence-based asthma management in children — what’s new?

The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand has updated its guidelines on corticosteroid use in childhood asthma

The understanding of childhood asthma has increased substantially since the publication of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) position statement The role of corticosteroids in the management of childhood asthma in 2002.1 In particular, recognition of the need for separate asthma management guidelines for children aged 5 years or younger has increased,2 and considerably more clinical research evidence on the role of asthma medications in children has become available. The 2010 revision of the TSANZ position statement provides updated recommendations on the roles of inhaled corticosteroids, oral corticosteroids, leukotriene receptor antagonists and combination medications (inhaled corticosteroids plus long-acting β-agonists) in childhood asthma management based on recently published evidence.3 The role of leukotriene receptor antagonists in the management of childhood asthma has also been addressed in detail in a recent National Asthma Council Australia information paper.4