Step-up Yellow Zone Inhaled Corticosteroids to Prevent Exacerbations

Exclusion Criteria

• •Systemic (oral or injectable) corticosteroids within previous 2-week period
• •Current or recent (previous 2-weeks) use of medications known to significantly interact with corticosteroid disposition, including but not limited to carbamazepine, erythromycin, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampin, and ketoconazole
• •Presence of chronic or active lung disease other than asthma
• •Significant medical illness other than asthma, including thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, Cushing's disease, Addison's disease, hepatic disease, or concurrent medical problems that could require oral corticosteroids during the study
• •A history of cataracts, glaucoma, or any other medical disorder associated with an adverse effect to corticosteroids
• •History of a life-threatening asthma exacerbation requiring intubation, mechanical ventilation, or resulting in a hypoxic seizure
• •More than 5 prednisone treated exacerbations in the past 12 months
• •More than 1 hospitalizations lasting \>24 hours for asthma in the past 12 months
• •History of adverse reactions to ICS preparations or any of their ingredients
• •Receiving hyposensitization therapy other than an established maintenance regimen (On maintenance regimen for ≥ 3 months)
• •History of premature birth before 35 weeks gestation