ABSTRACT
Nocturnal worsening of airflow limitation is an important part of the asthma clinical syndrome and must be considered an important factor in the diagnosis and management of asthma. As awareness of nocturnal asthma has increased, so too has its importance in defining severe asthmaÐnocturnal asthma symptoms are now an important component of current guidelines for grading asthma severity and determining appropriate asthma therapy (1). Nocturnal asthma presents special therapeutic considerations and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This chapter reviews relevant pathophysiologic, epidemiologic, and therapeutic concepts in nocturnal asthma and explores their relevance to severe asthma.
