Managing asthma in the Caribbean

The Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC) has completed the revision of the clinical guidelines on Managing Asthma in the Caribbean. This is timely as it has been 12 years since the publication of the original Caribbean Asthma Guidelines by the CHRC then known as the Commonwealth Caribbean Medical Research Council (CCMRC) in collaboration with the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). The recent launch of the Guidelines marks the culmination of a partnership that included the CHRC, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine and Mona Campuses, the Chief Medical Officers of the 18 English-speaking Caribbean countries, regional professional associations as well as representatives from the private sector. The Pan American Health Organization supported the initiative. The CHRC has a mandate to promote evidence-based practice in the Caribbean. Together with its partners, the team has ensured that the Guidelines are based on cuttingedge research findings. At least 21 of the 64 references cited detail research conducted in the Caribbean. So how do the revised Guidelines differ from the 1997 edition? The revised guidelines, Managing Asthma in the Caribbean, have been developed in 4 sections: C Core Information Regarding Asthma and its Management C Asthma in Young Children ( twice a month C Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1) or Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) > 80% predicted C PEFR or FEV1 variability of < 20%