The second article in a series on asthma in the Canadian Medical Association Journal’s (CMAJ) provides useful guidance for the diagnosis of adult asthma, including occupational asthma.

Accurate diagnosis is essential since asthma is quite frequent and may require lifelong treatment. It is the most widespread chronic respiratory disease in Canada. There are approximately 2.2 million adults and 800,000 children affected. Despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, asthma control is irregular and not the best possible.

Individuals with cough, episodic breathlessness, wheezing, sputum or chest tightness may have asthma. They need to be assessed by a physician using patient history, physical examination and subsequently definitive diagnostic testing. Spirometry is the measurement of peak flow. It allows objective testing and assesses lung function. These tests are occasionally supplemented by challenge testing. This will allow the physician to diagnose or exclude the possibility of asthma and to treat the patient consequently.

In the article, the authors used Canadian guidelines and new guidelines from other countries, as well as existing asthma literature and their own clinical experience.

“Diagnosis of asthma in adults”
Alan G. Kaplan MD, Meyer S. Balter MD, Alan D. Bell MD, Harold Kim MD, R. Andrew McIvor MD MSc
CMAJ 2009. DOI:10.1503/cmaj.080006
Canadian Medical Association Journal

Written by Stephanie Brunner (B.A.)