Advances in adult asthma diagnosis and treatment in 2013

In 2013, several themes emerged: (1) a dedicated search for new therapies using new mechanisms; (2) the importance of the plasticity of the immune system (eg, that molecules that mediate inflammation in one setting can promote its resolution and return to homeostasis in other circumstances); (3) the complex role of viruses in asthma exacerbations; (4) the similarities and differences among asthma, asthma in smokers, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and (5) the importance of understanding asthma phenotypes and their stability over time. Once new therapeutics pass the initial clinical trials, patient-oriented and real-world research will be needed.