Asthma Follow Up

Monitoring

Previously seen patients at primary care due to an exacerbation who were discharged after effectively responding to initial treatment should return for follow-up within 2-7 days after discharge and then 1-2 weeks thereafter. Patients who have started or are starting medication adjustment and have higher risk of poor outcome should be monitored 1-3 months after the first consultation, and then every 3-12 months thereafter. After an exacerbation, the patient should be seen within 1 week to 1 month until with good symptom control and has reached or surpassed personal best lung function. All asthma patients should follow-up at least twice a year. Lung function should be recorded at the time of diagnosis, 3-6 months after starting treatment, and periodically during follow-up.

Remission of Asthma  

Remission of asthma often refers to either clinical remission, such as the absence of asthma symptoms or exacerbations for a certain period of time, or complete/pathological remission, which involves normal lung function, airway responsiveness, and inflammatory markers—both of which reflect the goals of long-term management.  

Please see Goals of Therapy in the Principles of Therapy.  

Clinical or complete remission has been observed in adults either spontaneously or after the cessation of controller treatment. It may also be seen in patients with occupational asthma once exposure is discontinued. GINA identifies the need for further research on asthma remission in adults on treatment in order to determine the association between clinical criteria and laboratory results, as well as to identify predictors of remission or recurrence.