Theerasuk Kawamatawong,1 Atik Sangasapaviriya,2 Narongkorn Saiphoklang,3 Nittha Oer-areemitr,4 Thitiwat Sriprasart,5 Harutai Kamalaporn,6 Kumpol Amnuaypattanapon,7 Ticha Rerkpattanapipat,8 Naricha Chirakalwasan,9 Manaphol Kulpraneet,10 Chamard Wongsa,11 Hiroshi Chantaphakul,12 Santi Silairatana,13 Orapan Poachanukoon14; on behalf of the Thai Asthma Council (TAC)

1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
2 Allergy and clinical immunology, Department of Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand
3 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
4 Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
5 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand
6 Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
7 Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
8 Allergy Immunology and Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
9 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand and Excellence Center for Sleep Disorders, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand
10 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine Srinakarinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand
11 Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
12 Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand
13 Division of Pulmonary Medicine and Pulmonary Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
14 Center of Excellence for Allergy, Asthma and Pulmonary Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Thammasat University Hospital, Pathum Thani, Thailand

Abstract

The multidisciplinary experts in Thailand developed an asthma management recommendation that was relevant to low-middle income countries (LMICS). Population level consideration about asthma management is emphasized. The healthcare systems, access to and availability of treatments as well as the asthma populations vary from country to country in LMICS. The feasibility in clinical practice for implementation is also a major issue. For these reasons, the practice guidelines that are relevant to local contexts are essential to improve better asthma control. Furthermore, integrative and collaboration between asthma experts and the public health sector to implement and discriminate such guidelines will help to achieve these challenging goals. The topics covered include the current asthma situation in Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region, the definition of asthma, asthma diagnosis, assessment of asthma patients, asthma treatment – both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, management of asthma exacerbation, management of asthma comorbidities, treatment of asthma in special conditions, severe and uncontrolled asthma, Thai alternative medicine and asthma, and asthma and coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19).