There are important differences between new NICE recommendations on asthma treatment and current “standard practice” in the UK.

For example, NICE NG 80 recommends an early 4-8 week trial of montelukast plus low dose ICS if newly diagnosed asthma is not controlled by a low dose ICS inhaler alone. An ICS (low dose)/LABA combination is only recommended if that trial is unsuccessful – with a trial of maintenance and reliever therapy (MART) regimen recommended BEFORE considering any increase in ICS dose.

Yet more change in the world of respiratory medicine.