[Bronchial asthma--what is of importance for the ENT-specialist?]

In Germany the prevalence of bronchial asthma in adults is 5 % and up to 10 % in children. This explains its enormous medical and economic importance. Bronchial asthma is not only the most-frequent allergic lung disease; it is the most prevalent chronic illness of the childhood. Alongside with other atopic diseases--allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis--in the last decades the incidence increased significantly. Allergic and non allergic rhinitis and sinusitis are strongly correlated with asthma. This explains why ENT-specialists are often consulted first by patients with chronic inflammations of both the upper and lower airways. Hence, the ENT-specialist should clearly understand the pathophysiologic mechanisms of the disease, become familiar with the typical clinical findings and get a broader knowledge of the standard diagnostic methods and therapeutic issues. This article gives a detailed overview on these topics and the current guidelines.