Asthma Diagnoses Might Require Reevaluation in Some Adults

National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) guidelines emphasize confirming an initial asthma diagnosis with reversible airflow obstruction on spirometry and following a patient to see if his or her medications can be stepped down (J Allerg Clin Immunol 2007; 120:S94). In this Canadian cohort study, researchers evaluated 613 patients who had received diagnoses of adult-onset asthma during the previous 5 years to determine whether they truly had asthma and whether their medications could be discontinued safely. Participants underwent serial diagnostic evaluations based on symptoms, spirometry, and methacholine challenge. If results were normal, patients were weaned off their medications. Those who had no reversible airflow obstr…