Prevalence

• According to the Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, asthma affects approximately 5 to 7 percent of Americans and Europeans. Another 5 percent of those afflicted with the condition experience refractory asthma. Refractory asthma often affects quality of life because it is tough to manage, and the costs related to regulating refractory asthma are also high.
  
  

Characteristics of Refractory Asthma

• There are two major criteria that must be met in order for asthma to be classified as refractory. Jeff Stokes M.D., Assistant Professor at Creighton University Medical Center reports that an asthma condition must require continuous treatment with oral corticosteroids for at least half of a calendar year. Also, the asthma must require higher than normal doses of oral corticosteroids in order to keep the condition at bay.
  
  

Underlying Disorders

• In order to effectively manage and treat refractory asthma, any underlying causes that may be exacerbating the condition must first be ruled out. Therefore, a Cat Scan of the sinuses is often ordered to ensure that polyps or other hindrances are not affecting sinus function. A scratch test may also be done to rule out allergic rhinitis. Kids Health.org explains that although allergies are never the root cause of asthma, they can indeed trigger an asthma attack and persistent condition such as, refractory asthma. A chest x-ray may also be performed to rule out lung disease.
  
  

More Serious Ilnesses

• Sometimes, serious illnesses can be masked by breathing problems. In some cases, serious illnesses have even been overlooked or mistakenly dismissed as persistent forms of asthma. Therefore, it is imperative that a patient be screened for diseases that may cause trouble breathing. Pulmonary and cardiac diseases must be investigated and ruled out, as well as, sleep apnea and anxiety disorder. Another serious illness that must not be looked is cystic fibrosis. According to The Human Genome, cystic fibrosis is a gene disorder that directly affects a patient's breathing.
  
  

Treatment Options

• According to the American Thoracic Society, Macrolide antibiotics show promise in regards to helping patients deal with the symptoms of refractory asthma. Macrolides are a group of antibiotics that treat bacterial infections and have anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, Clarithromycin is a macrolide antibiotic that has been shown to greatly improve quality of life for those on which it has been tested. Clinical trials remain ongoing in hopes that additional relief can be discovered for refractory asthma sufferers.