The Brussels Declaration: the need for change in asthma management

Abstract

Asthma is a highly prevalent condition across Europe and numerous guidelines have been developed to optimise management. However, asthma can be neither cured nor prevented, treatment choices are limited and many patients have poorly controlled or uncontrolled asthma.The Brussels Declaration on Asthma, sponsored by The Asthma, Allergy and Inflammation Research Charity, was developed to call attention to the shortfalls in asthma management and to urge European policy makers to recognise that asthma is a public health problem that should be a political priority.The Declaration urges recognition and action on the following points: the systemic inflammatory component of asthma should be better understood and considered in assessments of treatment efficacy; current research must be communicated and responded to quickly; the European Medicines Agency guidance note on asthma should be updated; ''real world'' studies should be funded and results used to inform guidelines; variations in care across Europe should be addressed; people with asthma should participate in their own care; the impact of environmental factors should be understood; and targets should be set for improvement.The present paper reviews the evidence supporting the need for change in asthma management and summarises the ten key points contained in the Brussels Declaration.

Potential Role of Serum Periostin in the Early Detection of Bronchial Asthma in Children

“…Создание гипоаллерген-ной среды в качестве одного из основных профилакти-ческих мероприятий не привело к предотвращению есте-ственного течения заболевания [7]. В этой связи ведущий клинический журнал The Lancet отмечал, что термин «астма» устарел, и что усилия исследователей должны сосредоточиться на более подробных клинических и био-логических аспектах заболевания [8].…”

Antiprotozoal drugs in the treatment of respiratory allergy: a side that should be explored

“…There has been a call of attention to the need for change in asthma management, including a better understanding of the inflammatory component in the assessment of treatment efficacy [Holgate et al 2008]. This declaration and the above considerations leads one to think that the use of antiprotozoal drugs in the treatment of respiratory allergy is a side that should be explored.…”

The International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) Research Needs Statement 2010

“…9 Improving the prevention and management of asthma is thus a high priority for primary healthcare in all countries. The Brussels Declaration advocates a ten point plan of action to improve evidence-based asthma management, emphasising the importance of including evidence from real life studies in treatment guidelines 10,11 -an issue relevant to management of asthma throughout the world.…”