. 2016 Jul 1;128(15):541–554. doi: 10.1007/s00508-016-1019-4

Table 4.

Controller therapy after initial diagnosis

Presentation	Recommended initial therapy^c
– Symptoms or need for SABA <2×x/month – No nocturnal awakening – No risk factors^a for exacerbation – No exacerbation in the last 12 months	No controller
– Symptoms or need for SABA <2×/month – No nocturnal awakening – At least one risk factor^a for exacerbation or one exacerbation (with OCS therapy) in the last 12 months	Low-dose ICS
– Symptoms or need for SABA ≥2×/month – Nocturnal awakening ≥1×/month	Low-dose ICS
– Symptoms or need for SABA >2×/month	Low-dose ICS
– Symptoms on most days – Nocturnal awakening ≥1×/month – At least one risk factor^a for an exacerbation	Medium-/high-dose ICS or low-dose ICS/LABA^b

^aSee Table 6

^b Not recommended as initial therapy for children up to age 11 years

^cSABA used on demand in all cases