Common usage of the terms“severity” and “control” in asthma, indicating both the overlapping and the distinguishing features
Characteristic | Common usage of the terms | |
“Severity” | “Control” | |
Symptoms | The intensity of respiratory distress when asthma symptoms/episodes/attacks occur | The frequency with which symptoms, episodes and attacks occur over time |
Exacerbations | The speed of onset (rapidity), degree of disability, and advent of respiratory failure | Frequency of exacerbations of any severity |
Medication | Amount of treatment required to maintain best symptom control and lung function | Frequency with which additional therapy is required, especially SABA use and courses of steroid tablets |
Lung function | The degree of loss of lung function | The variability of change in lung function which occurs over a short to medium time frame |
Airway hyperresponsiveness | The level of response to challenge agents e.g. methacholine, exercise | The frequency with which actual challenge situations, such as exercise, result in acute episodes of asthma |
Airway inflammation | The degree of inflammation present when untreated | The degree of inflammation present while on treatment |
SABA: short-acting β2-agonist.