Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation

Questions in Mild Asthma: An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement

Arjun Mohan et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. .

Abstract

Background: Patients with mild asthma are believed to represent the majority of patients with asthma. Disease-associated risks such as exacerbations, lung function decline, and death have been understudied in this patient population. There have been no prior efforts from major societies to describe research needs in mild asthma. Methods: A multidisciplinary, diverse group of 24 international experts reviewed the literature, identified knowledge gaps, and provided research recommendations relating to mild asthma definition, pathophysiology, and management across all age groups. Research needs were also investigated from a patient perspective, generated in conjunction with patients with asthma, caregivers, and stakeholders. Of note, this project is not a systematic review of the evidence and is not a clinical practice guideline. Results: There are multiple unmet needs in research on mild asthma driven by large knowledge gaps in all areas. Specifically, there is an immediate need for a robust mild asthma definition and an improved understanding of its pathophysiology and management strategies across all age groups. Future research must factor in patient perspectives. Conclusions: Despite significant advances in severe asthma, there remain innumerable research areas requiring urgent attention in mild asthma. An important first step is to determine a better definition that will accurately reflect the heterogeneity and risks noted in this group. This research statement highlights the topics of research that are of the highest priority. Furthermore, it firmly advocates the need for engagement with patient groups and for more support for research in this field.

Keywords: definition; management; mild asthma; pathophysiology; research needs.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Current challenges in research on mild asthma.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Research priorities in mild asthma from a patient’s perspective.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ryan D, Heatley H, Heaney LG, Jackson DJ, Pfeffer PE, Busby J, et al. Potential severe asthma hidden in UK primary care. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract . 2021;9:1612–1623.e9. - PubMed
    1. Price DB, Trudo F, Voorham J, Xu X, Kerkhof M, Ling Zhi Jie J, et al. Adverse outcomes from initiation of systemic corticosteroids for asthma: long-term observational study. J Asthma Allergy . 2018;11:193–204. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Chapman KR. Impact of ‘mild’ asthma on health outcomes: findings of a systematic search of the literature. Respir Med . 2005;99:1350–1362. - PubMed
    1. Ding B, DiBonaventura M, Karlsson N, Ling X. A cross-sectional assessment of the prevalence and burden of mild asthma in urban China using the 2010, 2012, and 2013 China National Health and Wellness Surveys. J Asthma . 2017;54:632–643. - PubMed
    1. Golam SM, Janson C, Beasley R, FitzGerald JM, Harrison T, Chipps B, et al. NOVELTY Study Investigators The burden of mild asthma: clinical burden and healthcare resource utilisation in the NOVELTY study. Respir Med . 2022;200:106863. - PubMed