Schatz et al classified the severity of asthma in pregnant women. This modified the criteria of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) by the inclusion of daily asthma medication use. The authors are from multiple universities in the United States, the National Institute of Child Health and Development, the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Patient selection: pregnant female with cough, dyspnea or wheezing in past 6 months
Parameters:
(1) frequency of asthma symptoms during the past 4 weeks (excludes symptoms due to an upper respiratory tract infection)
(2) use of daily asthma medications
(3) FEV1 as percent of predicted
Parameter
Mild
Moderate
Severe
frequency of symptoms
0 to 7 days
8 or more days
daily
asthma medications
not being taken daily
drug other than oral steroid taken daily
regular use of oral corticosteroids for 4+ weeks
FEV1
> 80%
60 to 80%
< 60%
where:
• Drugs for moderate severity include: (1) 2 puffs or more of inhaled beta-agonist, (2) 1 or more doses of theophylline per day, (3) 4 or more puffs of inhaled ipratropium, (4) 2 or puffs of inhaled cromolyn, (5) 2 or more puffs of inhaled nedocromil, or (6) 2 or more puffs of inhaled steroids.
• A "mild-to-moderate" category might be needed for patients who take less than the required number of puffs per day.
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