ABSTRACT
In the past 30 years, physicians have been introduced to a myriad of new
pharmacologic agents that have gained Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treatment of persistent asthma. Many of these agents
have arisen from advances in basic and translational research that have
elucidated pathogenetic mechanisms of human asthma and airway inflam-
mation. At the same time, epidemiologic research conducted in longitudinal
childhood studies and adult populations have provided valuable insights
into the natural history of human asthma and defined phenotypic and envir-
onmental determinants of disease morbidity. Despite impressive advances
in our knowledge, asthma is a major health care problem and, in the past two decades, incidences have steadily risen worldwide along with costs
related to drugs and medical care. Data showing rising incidence rates,
costs, hospitalizations, and asthma-related deaths on a worldwide basis
have provided strong impetus for development and dissemination of asthma
treatment guidelines. At the same time, investigators worldwide continue to
search for underlying causes of rising asthma incidence rates, hoping that new information may lead to effective primary preventive strategies.
