Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (697 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A form of bronchial disorder with three distinct components: airway hyper-responsiveness (respiratory hypersensitivity), airway inflammation, and intermittent airway obstruction. It is characterized by spasmodic contraction of airway smooth muscle, wheezing, and dyspnea (dyspnea, paroxysmal).
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Asthmas; Asthma, Bronchial; Bronchial Asthma.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Bronchial Diseases; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Respiratory Hypersensitivity
- Narrower topics
- Asthma-Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Overlap Syndrome; Asthma, Aspirin-Induced; Asthma, Exercise-Induced; Asthma, Occupational; Cough-Variant Asthma; Status Asthmaticus
- See also
- Anti-Asthmatic Agents
Related concepts
- Respiratory Hypersensitivity
- Inflammation
- Airway Obstruction
- Wheezing
- Dyspnea
- Paroxysmal
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 153,500 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Asthma” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 25,397 of them (16.5%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 56,772 records.
Reviews account for 25,630 records (16.7%) and meta-analyses for 1,844. Randomized controlled trials number 8,863 (5.8%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 56,772 |
| 2000-2009 | 33,823 |
| 2010-2019 | 37,508 |
| 2020 onward | 25,397 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 25,630 | 16.7% |
| Meta-analyses | 1,844 | 1.2% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 8,863 | 5.8% |
Method: PubMed query "Asthma"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in immunology
Immune responses are studied in model organisms, in cells from donors and in patients, and the same pathway can behave differently across these settings. Mouse immune systems differ from human ones in important ways, and blood measurements may not reflect what happens in tissues. Clinical conclusions about immune-mediated disease or immunotherapy come mainly from controlled trials and long-term cohorts. Check the species and tissue studied, whether markers were linked to outcomes patients notice, and the follow-up time.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronchodilator response is linked with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe childhood asthma and elevated IL-4 and IL-13 | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 42253168 · DOI · PMC13244407 |
| Update on Pediatric asthma management: Recent advances | 2026 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42779388 · DOI · PMC13601965 |
| Mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of asthma: from bench to bedside | 2026 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42572038 · DOI · PMC13454633 |
Bronchodilator response is linked with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe childhood asthma and elevated IL-4 and IL-13 [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundBronchodilator response (BDR) is a key clinical feature in childhood asthma, but its relation to asthma pathophysiology is not fully understood.
- Closing excerpt
- BDR may serve as a marker for asthma phenotyping.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (223 words)
BackgroundBronchodilator response (BDR) is a key clinical feature in childhood asthma, but its relation to asthma pathophysiology is not fully understood. This study examines the associations between BDR, disease control, and serum cytokines/chemokines in children with moderate-to-severe asthma (MSA).MethodsBDR was assessed in 140 children (aged 6-17 years, 41% females) from the SysPharmPediA cohort using the ERS/ATS 2022 guidelines (ΔFEV1 >10% predicted) and z-score (ΔFEV1-z-score >0.78) post-bronchodilator definitions. Risk of uncontrolled asthma in relation to BDR was estimated by a logistic regression model, adjusting for baseline lung function, age, sex, BMI z-score, ethnicity, country, season, GINA step, and smoking exposure. Thirty-nine serum proteins were measured using Luminex Multiplex Assay; levels below the detection limit (LOD) were imputed as LOD/√2, and proteins with >40% missing values across samples were excluded. Children with high and low BDR were compared for serum proteins by linear regression model, adjusting for covariates and applying false discovery rate correction.ResultsChildren with high BDR (21%) had significantly higher odds of uncontrolled asthma (adjusted OR ≈ 3.22, 95% CIs: 1.07-11.3) and more frequent severe exacerbations in the past year compared with those with low BDR (70% vs. 46%, p ConclusionIn children with MSA, a high BDR is independently associated with poorer asthma control and a distinct systemic inflammatory profile involving T2 and non-T2 mediators. BDR may serve as a marker for asthma phenotyping.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42253168 · DOI · PMC13244407
Update on Pediatric asthma management: Recent advances [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Asthma remains the commonest chronic pediatric respiratory disease and a major cause of childhood morbidity worldwide.
- Closing excerpt
- Overall, contemporary pediatric asthma management is moving towards precision medicine, integrating anti-inflammatory reliever strategies and targeted biologics to improve disease control, minimize exacerbations, and preserve long-term lung health.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (239 words)
Asthma remains the commonest chronic pediatric respiratory disease and a major cause of childhood morbidity worldwide. Recent advances in pediatric asthma management shift the focus from symptom relief alone towards early control of airway inflammation, exacerbation prevention, and personalizing biomarkers to target biologics. This review highlights the growing role of anti-inflammatory reliever [AIR] therapy and maintenance-and-reliever therapy [MART], both of which incorporate inhaled corticosteroids [ICS] with bronchodilator treatment to reduce reliance on short-acting β2-agonists [SABA]. Pediatric clinical trials demonstrate that strategies including AIR only and MART, compared to SABA reliever, reduce acute asthma attack burden in some disease subgroups while further large trials are underway. For severe pediatric asthma, advances in understanding type 2 airway inflammation have led to the introduction of biologics targeting key inflammatory pathways, including IgE, interleukin (IL)-5, IL-5 receptor, IL-4/IL-13 signaling, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin. Adult trials have shown reductions in asthma attacks with all currently licensed biologics. Although pediatric evidence remains more limited than in adults, we summarize the current evidence of efficacy in childhood severe asthma. Biomarker-guided selection using blood eosinophils, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, and serum IgE is increasingly important, yet optimal pediatric biomarkers of response remain uncertain. Current challenges include gaps in child-specific biomarker validation and uncertainty regarding treatment duration and discontinuation strategies. Overall, contemporary pediatric asthma management is moving towards precision medicine, integrating anti-inflammatory reliever strategies and targeted biologics to improve disease control, minimize exacerbations, and preserve long-term lung health.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42779388 · DOI · PMC13601965
Mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of asthma: from bench to bedside [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic airway disease arising from a complex interplay of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures.
- Closing excerpt
- The emerging paradigm aims not only for symptom control but also for disease modification and remission, leveraging biomarkers and multidisciplinary approaches to achieve long-term asthma control in a broad patient population.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (235 words)
Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic airway disease arising from a complex interplay of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures. Key pathobiological features include dysregulated immune responses (particularly type 2 inflammation), structural airway remodeling, and mucus hypersecretion. Recent advances have illuminated mechanisms from epithelial "alarmin" cytokine release (TSLP, IL-33, IL-25) to downstream cellular networks involving Th2/Th17 lymphocytes, group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), eosinophils, and mast cells. These pathways converge on bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airflow obstruction. Traditional therapy with inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators has improved asthma control, yet many patients, especially those with non-type 2-driven endotypes such as neutrophilic or obesity-related asthma, remain suboptimally controlled. This limitation has driven the development of precision medicine approaches that target specific cytokines and signaling cascades, including IgE, IL-5, IL-4/13, and TSLP, as well as intracellular signaling processes such as JAK-STAT. Parallel innovations in biomarkers such as FeNO, blood eosinophils, periostin, and multi-omics-based signatures facilitate patient stratification and prediction of treatment response. This comprehensive review synthesizes current knowledge from genetic and epigenetic foundations of asthma, through immunologic and neurogenic mechanisms, to translational advances in therapeutics from laboratory to clinic. We highlight the importance of endotyping and "treatable traits" such as eosinophilia, mucus plugging, or small-airway dysfunction in guiding individualized therapy. The emerging paradigm aims not only for symptom control but also for disease modification and remission, leveraging biomarkers and multidisciplinary approaches to achieve long-term asthma control in a broad patient population.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42572038 · DOI · PMC13454633
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and selected health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis [4]
- Research article Antibiotic exposure and adverse long-term health outcomes in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Epidemiology of Allergic Rhinitis in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [6]
- Research article Clinical remission attainment, definitions, and correlates among patients with severe asthma treated with biologics: a systematic review and meta-analysis [7]
- Research article Real-world efficacy of treatment with benralizumab, dupilumab, mepolizumab and reslizumab for severe asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis [8]
- Research article Mortality and Morbidity Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Low-Level PM2.5, BC, NO2, and O3: An Analysis of European Cohorts in the ELAPSE Project [9]
References
- Metwally NKA, Hashimoto S, Vijverberg SJH, Neerincx AH, Dierdorp BS, Dekker T, et al.. Bronchodilator response is linked with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe childhood asthma and elevated IL-4 and IL-13. . 2026. PMID 42253168 · DOI · PMC13244407
- Dhochak N, Robinson PFM, Saglani S. Update on Pediatric asthma management: Recent advances. . 2026. PMID 42779388 · DOI · PMC13601965
- Xie C, Wei Y, Su C, Yalikun M, Chu Y, Yu H, et al.. Mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of asthma: from bench to bedside. . 2026. PMID 42572038 · DOI · PMC13454633
- Boogaard H, Patton AP, Atkinson RW, Brook JR, Chang HH, Crouse DL, et al.. Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and selected health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ Int. 2022. PMID 35569389 · DOI
- Duong QA, Pittet LF, Curtis N, Zimmermann P. Antibiotic exposure and adverse long-term health outcomes in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Infect. 2022. PMID 35021114 · DOI
- Licari A, Magri P, De Silvestri A, Giannetti A, Indolfi C, Mori F, et al.. Epidemiology of Allergic Rhinitis in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2023. PMID 37236349 · DOI
- Shackleford A, Heaney LG, Redmond C, McDowell PJ, Busby J. Clinical remission attainment, definitions, and correlates among patients with severe asthma treated with biologics: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Respir Med. 2025. PMID 39549709 · DOI
- Charles D, Shanley J, Temple SN, Rattu A, Khaleva E, Roberts G. Real-world efficacy of treatment with benralizumab, dupilumab, mepolizumab and reslizumab for severe asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Exp Allergy. 2022. PMID 35174566 · DOI · PMC9311192
- Brunekreef B, Strak M, Chen J, Andersen ZJ, Atkinson R, Bauwelinck M, et al.. Mortality and Morbidity Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Low-Level PM2.5, BC, NO2, and O3: An Analysis of European Cohorts in the ELAPSE Project. Res Rep Health Eff Inst. 2021. PMID 36106702 · PMC9476567
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.