Questionnaire Survey on Asthma Management of Japanese Allergists II. Treatment methods

A questionnaire on the treatment of asthma was sent to 586 physicians. They consisted of specialists authorized by the Japanese Society of Allergology and councillors of the society who were treating patients with bronchial asthma. Of the total of 306 (52%) respondents, 241 replied to questions relating to adult asthma and 129 to questions relating to childhood asthma (including duplicate replies). For acute treatment, methods most commonly selected by physicians were, in increasing order of popularity, for adults: parenteral aminophylline, oxygen inhalation, parenteral steroids and parenteral adrenaline; for schoolchildren (6–16 years): parenteral aminophylline, inhaled β-stimulant, oxygen inhalation, inhaled β-stimulant + disodium cromoglycate (DSCG), parenteral steroids; and for infants (≤5 years): inhaled β-stimulant, parenteral aminophylline, oxygen inhalation, inhaled β-stimulant + DSCG and parenteral steroids. For maintenance treatment, methods most commonly selected by physicians were, in increasing order of popularity, for adults: oral administration of sustained-release theophylline, inhaled steroids and DSCG inhalation; for schoolchildren (6–16 years): DSCG inhalation, oral administration of sustained-release theophylline, oral administration of antiallergic agent preparation and (β-stimulant + DSCG inhalant; and for infants: DSCG inhalation, oral administration of sustained-release theophylline, oral administration of antiallergicagent preparation and β-stimulant + DSCG inhalant. The questionnaire results clearly showed that different drugs were selected for the treatment of asthma in adults, schoolchildren and infants.