Asthma Epidemiology and Management Strategies
Summary
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways characterised by variable airflow obstruction, bronchial hyper-responsiveness and respiratory symptoms such as wheeze, cough and dyspnoea. Globally, its prevalence has risen steadily over the past five decades, driven by urbanisation, environmental change and lifestyle factors. Age-standardised rates of prevalence, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) have declined in many high-income settings but absolute case numbers continue to grow, posing a substantial burden on health-care systems and economies. Disparities in incidence and outcomes reflect variations in socio-economic development, access to care and exposure to risk factors such as high body mass index, occupational asthmagens and tobacco smoke. Childhood asthma predominates in boys, whereas adult asthma is more common in women, suggesting a role for hormonal and developmental influences. Management strategies span pharmacotherapy—with inhaled corticosteroids, bronchodilators and targeted biologic agents—self-management education, guideline-driven care pathways and public health interventions. Recent advances emphasise stratification by phenotype and endotype to tailor treatment, alongside policies promoting environmental control, patient empowerment and health-system strengthening. Integrating personalised medicine with community-level programmes offers the best prospect of reducing morbidity, preventing exacerbations and improving long-term lung health across diverse populations.
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Asthma Epidemiology and Management Strategies publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in asthma epidemiology and management strategies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs): A composite measure of years lost through premature death and years lived with disability, used to quantify overall disease burden.
Socio-demographic Index (SDI): An aggregate indicator of income per capita, educational attainment and fertility rates to compare health outcomes across regions.
Phenotype: A cluster of observable clinical characteristics of asthma, such as atopic or non-atopic presentation.
Endotype: A molecularly defined subtype of asthma based on distinct pathogenic mechanisms, guiding personalised interventions.
Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS): A cornerstone anti-inflammatory treatment delivered via inhalation to suppress airway inflammation and reduce exacerbations.
Bronchodilator: A class of medication, including β₂-agonists and anticholinergics, that relaxes airway smooth muscle to improve airflow.
References
- Epidemiology of Asthma in Children and Adults. Frontiers in Pediatrics (2019).
- Global, regional, and national burden of asthma and its attributable risk factors from 1990 to 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Respiratory Research (2023).
- Trends in disease burden and risk factors of asthma from 1990 to 2019 in Belt and Road Initiative countries: evidence from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Annals of Medicine (2024).
- The Finnish Allergy Program 2008-2018: Society-wide proactive program for change of management to mitigate allergy burden. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2021).
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