Table 2.

Criteria for classification as moderate or severe asthma.

Condition	Moderate asthma	Severe asthma
Medication	GINAa step 3/4 or uncontrolled (C-ACTb<20) in GINA step 2 [2]	Step 5 or uncontrolled (C-ACT<20) despite medium to high-dose ICSc-LABAd in step 4
Recent exacerbation (<3 months) despite controller medication	Needing a salbutamol regimen of oral cortical steroid therapy	Leading to a hospital admission
Bronchial hyperreactivity assessed with an exercise challenge test in cold air [37,38]	Between 25% and 50% decrease in FEV1e [39]	>50% decrease in FEV1 [39]

^aGINA: Global Initiative for Asthma.

^bC-ACT: Childhood Asthma Control Test.

^cICS: inhaled corticosteroid.

^dLABA: long-acting beta2-agonist.

^cFEV1: forced expiratory volume.