Dilemma of Asthma Treatment in Mild Patients

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) have been widely used as a key medication for asthma control. However, ICSs have been known to cause respiratory infections, such as pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis. Consequently, a dilemma exists regarding recommendation of persistent lifetime use of ICSs to mild asthma patients. Short-acting β-agonists (SABAs) have also been widely used for symptom relief. However, SABAs have been reported to increase the risk of asthma-related death, though incidences have been very rare. Consequently, a dilemma exists regarding recommendation of a SABA alone without an ICS or a controller to asthma patients even with very mild disease. In the real world, asthma patients tend to intermittently use ICS and more likely to be dependent on SABA since many patients want immediate relief of their symptoms. Consequently, a dilemma exists regarding the underuse of ICSs but the overuse of SABAs. One strategy for solving the presented dilemma would be identification of patients with asthma who require persistent use of asthma controllers. Such patients, who may be referred to as "persistent controller users," should continuously receive ICSs, even under controlled states of asthma. Another strategy would be a patient-adjusted, symptom-driven, intermittent-to-regular treatment combining low-dose ICS/rapid-onset long-acting β-agonists instead of using a SABA alone or with low-dose ICS for the asthma patients with mild disease. Both of these two strategies could avoid the risky treatment of a SABA alone without an ICS and could reduce the dose of ICS with the maintenance of asthma control.