Asthma is one of the most important diseases affecting our society. It is an extremely common condition that reduces quality of life, and acute exacerbations can be life-threatening. It affects a disproportionate number of children. With the overwhelming volume of research being carried out in this field specialists need a method of keeping up-to-date with current opinion. As with the other 'Challenges' books, 'Challenges in Asthma' is aimed at hospital specialists and therefore assumes a certain level of knowledge about the disease. It builds on this by discussing only areas of controversy and uncertainty in both the basic understanding of asthma and its management. An international author list will provide stimulating debate with, and ultimately draw some conclusions from, existing data which will benefit readers in their day-to-day practice.

Asthma is one of the most important diseases affecting our society.It is an extremely common condition that reduces quality of lifeand acute exacerbations can be life-threatening. It affects adisproportionate number of children. With the overwhelming volumeof research being carried out in this field specialists need amethod of keeping up-to-date with current opinion.As with the other 'Challenges' books, 'Challenges in Asthma' isaimed at hospital specialists and therefore assumes a certain levelof knowledge about the disease. It builds on this by discussingonly areas of controversy and uncertainty in both the basicunderstanding of asthma and its management. An international authorlist will provide stimulating debate with, and ultimately draw someconclusions from, existing data which will benefit readers in theirday-to-day practice.

List of contributors.Preface.Acknowledgements..PART 1: Epidemiology.1. Why is the incidence of asthma increasing (P.M. Matricardiand S. Bonini).2. Why is asthma more common in the West (E. Von Mutius).3. How much asthma can be attributed to atopic sensitization (R.Beasley, J. Douwes, J. Pekkanen and N.E. Pearce).4. Is air pollution important in asthma (A.J.Chauhan).PART 2: Pathophysiology.5. Is infection important in the pathogenesis and clinicalexpression of asthma (E.R. Sutherland and R.J. Martin).6. Does infection in early life protect against or cause asthma(B. Bjorksten).7. Does asthma progress to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(S.T. Weiss).8. Antenatal factors in the development of atopy and asthma(P.G. Woodruff, S.L. Prescott, P.G. Holt and J.V. Fahy).9. Genetics of asthma: What's new (I. Sayers, B. Beghe, J.Holloway and S.T. Holgate).PART 3: Treatment.10. Can airway fibrosis be prevented (D. Smallwood and J.Wilson).11. Does allergen avoidance help? What are the practicalmeasures that patients can take (A. Custovic and A. Woodcock).12. Is early treatment of children necessary (P.J. Helms).13. What are the mechanisms of corticosteroid resistance inasthma (P.J. Barnes).14. What new therapies are being developed for asthma and willthey offer something better than steroids (J.C. Kips, K.G. Tournoyand R.A. Pauwels).15. What is the orel of long-acting ß2 -agonists in thetreatment of asthma (M.R. Sears).16. What is the role of leukotriene modifiers in the treatmentof asthma (M.E. Wechsler and J.M. Drazen).PART 4: Delivery of Care.17. What are the issues in delivering care in primary care (D.Price).18. Are asthma clinics useful: should they be run by the doctorsor the nurse (B.D.W. Harrison and S.M. Mildenhall).19. Should asthma be managed by the patient or the doctor: iseducation important (M.R. Partridge).20. Are psychosocial factors important in asthma (B.D.W.Harrison and S.M. Mildenhall).Index.