Figure 1.

Prototype asthma attack risk scale. Numbers in each cell are predicted annual asthma attack rates for patients over the age of 12 if treatment is not changed. An asthma attack is an episode of acute asthma requiring treatment with systemic steroids ≥3 days and/or hospitalisation. The blood eosinophil count is contemporaneous or the highest result in the last 12 months; fractional exhaled nitric oxide level is contemporaneous. *Risk factors are defined by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines¹: poor symptom control (Asthma Control Questionnaire score ≥1.5), low lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 second <80% predicted), adherence issues, reliever overuse (>200 dose of salbutamol cannister/month), intubation or intensive care unit admission for asthma previously, comorbidities (one of chronic rhinosinusitis, obesity and psychiatric disease) and environmental exposures (one of smoking, allergen and pollution).