Reliability and benefit of diagnostic procedure for asthma in young children ...(d the minutes of the hearing procedure a...),Health

Research question comprehensively answered in three final reports

This final report completes the commission package. Using IQWiG expertise, the G-BA can now advise on whether or not the Asthma DMP should be extended to children under 5 years of age.

In the first part of the commission, IQWiG examined whether there was a generally recognized procedure for diagnosing asthma in children. However, the final report came to the conclusion that such a reference standard did not exist. In the second part of the commission, IQWiG therefore had to investigate the accuracy of diagnostic procedures without reference to a comparison test. The results were presented here in detail: firstly, it is not possible to recommend a specific test as a basis for registering on a DMP; secondly, it is not possible to draw robust conclusions on whether, based on the test, young children could then receive treatment that would provide them with a benefit.

In the third part of the commission, IQWiG assessed the benefit of drug and non-drug interventions. As IQWiG has confirmed, it remains unclear whether 2 to 4-year-olds benefit from measures, which up till now have only been offered to children aged 5 upwards as part of the Asthma DMP, for suitable interventions for preschool children have not been adequately investigated. A few studies indicate that the drug, fluticasone propionate (ICS), approved for children aged 4 upwards, can lower the rate of acute exacerbations and increase the number of asthma-free days. However, it can also cause growth retardation.

An overview of the background, methods and further results of the final report on the reliability and benefit of diagnostic procedures is provided by an Executive Summary.

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