Advances in the Management of Pediatric Asthma: A Review of Recent FDA Drug Approvals and Label Updates

Abstract

Children have the highest prevalence of asthma of any age group. In the United States during 2001, there were 12.6 million physician and hospital outpatient visits for asthma treatment, of which almost 5 million involved children 18 years and younger. Therapeutic advances in pediatric asthma could improve patient outcomes and potentially reduce the burden on health care systems. Efforts to obtain efficacy and safety data in pediatric populations and develop pediatric formulations of asthma treatments have been encouraged by the FDA and clinicians. This article reviews the newest additions to asthma therapies approved for use in children, including an inhaled corticosteroid, some long-acting β₂-agonists, some leukotriene-receptor blockers, and a single-isomer, short-acting β₂-agonist.