A 6-year-old boy has daytime wheeze and cough on 2 days per week for the past month. He has never awakened at night with symptoms, has no limitation of activity, and his FEV1 is 92% predicted between episodes. How should his asthma be classified and treated?
- A Intermittent asthma, reliever salbutamol only
- B Moderate persistent asthma, add long-acting beta-agonist
- C Mild persistent asthma, start daily low-dose inhaled corticosteroid ✓
- D Severe persistent asthma, oral corticosteroid course
Correct answer: C. Mild persistent asthma, start daily low-dose inhaled corticosteroid
Explanation
Symptoms occurring more than once a week but less than daily, with no nocturnal awakening, define mild persistent asthma, which requires a daily low-dose inhaled corticosteroid as controller. Intermittent asthma allows symptoms up to twice weekly, and this child exceeds that threshold. Escalation to LABA combination is considered only when control remains poor on adequate low-dose ICS.
Reference: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 21st ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.