Corticosteroid responsiveness and clinical characteristics in childhood difficult asthma

This study describes the clinical characteristics and corticosteroid responsiveness of children with difficult asthma (DA). We hypothesised that complete corticosteroid responsiveness (defined as improved symptoms, normal spirometry, normal exhaled nitric oxide fraction (F_eNO) and no bronchodilator responsiveness (BDR <12%)) is uncommon in paediatric DA. We report on 102 children, mean±sd age 11.6±2.8 yrs, with DA in a...