Abstract
Japanese pediatric guidelines for the treatment and management of bronchial asthma ("the JPGL") were revised in 2012. Already, the JPGL have applied to childhood asthma from infancy to adolescence, and have become popular with Japanese physicians because they are concise and useful. This guideline has partially revised the section of pathology, the evaluation of asthma severity and treatment steps. JPGL 2012 incorporates new information derived from recent studies of asthma pathology. The sections on definition, pathophysiology and diagnosis of childhood asthma are revised according to recent reports. Key words are airway inflammation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and remodeling. Also, the sections on asthma severity and treatment steps are revised for choice and administration of drugs in the long-term management of childhood asthma. When the treatment is stepped down or stepped up, the understanding of "control level" is important. On the other hand, when the long-term management and education of patients are advanced, the understanding of "true severity" is important.
