Asthma and smoking: A review.

Asthma occurrence is often associated with cigarette smoking. Surprisingly, active smokers are excluded from most clinical studies. Prevalence of asthma associated with smoking appears to be similar to asthma in the general population.

[Difficult to control severe asthma].

Difficult to control severe asthma is characterized by the persistence of inacceptable symptoms of asthma despite a continuous treatment with at least high doses of inhaled steroids and long acting bronchodilators. The diagnosis is done after a period of observation and some investigations that will allow confirm the diagnosis of asthma, eliminate alternative diagnosis and etiological forms that would be difficult to treat intrinsically (allergic broncho-pulmonary aspergillosis, Churg and Strauss disease, chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, occupational asthma). At the end of this period devoted to diagnosis a systematic approach is set up to take care of these patients.

Preventing asthma exacerbations: what are the targets?

Exacerbations of asthma are the main cause of asthma morbidity. They induce acute respiratory failure, and sometimes death. Two immunological signals acting in synergy are necessary for inducing asthma exacerbations.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy in allergic rhinitis and asthma. Mechanisms and proof of efficacy.

Appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) has long been used in allergic rhinitis and asthma without any knowledge of its mechanisms of action or any tangible proof of its efficacy. However, from the beginning of the era of evidence-based medicine, a number of placebo-controlled studies have been published and reached a sufficient number to assess the cellular events induced by SIT and allow meta-analysis to provide guidelines based on proofs. Controlled studies and meta-analysis concerned not only subcutaneous immunotherapy but also the sublingual route, demonstrating an effect of SIT on symptoms and medication use.