An update on Malaysian CPG of Childhood Asthma

Mariana Daud
Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital, Kota Bahru, Kelantan, Malaysia

Bronchial asthma is the commonest chronic respiratory disorders in children. The National Health Mortality and Morbidity Survey 2023 reported prevalence of probable asthma was 7.1% and doctor-diagnosed asthma was 5.3%.  Asthma still contributes to considerable morbidity and mortality.

Each country needs its own asthma Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) because of significant differences in healthcare systems, population characteristics, disease patterns, and resource availability. The first local guideline for the management of childhood asthma was published in 1997. The subsequent revisions were in 2004, 2014 and the latest is the 4th edition, published in 2024. It is a consensus statement by the Malaysian Thoracic Society (MTS), Academy of Medicine Malaysia (AAM), and Lung Foundation of Malaysia (LFM). This is a major update after a decade-long gap.

This document can assist healthcare professionals in providing optimal care for children with asthma, from basic diagnosis and management to advanced treatment for severe cases. Its key updates include introduction of new management strategies, such as, Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (MART) / Anti‑Inflammatory Reliever (AIR), evidence supporting nebulised corticosteroids during acute exacerbations of asthma, adoption of  paediatric asthma scoring and asthma clinical pathways in acute asthma, guidance on biologic therapies for severe asthma, and age‑appropriate protocols for children under 5 and adolescents.

This update can be used as a quick guide and crucial resource for clinicians, enabling them to offer effective and tailored care for young asthma patients.