TY - JOUR JF - European Respiratory Review JO - EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY REVIEW SP - 538 LP - 538 VL - 23 IS - 134 AU - P. Chanez Y1 - 2014/12/01 UR - http://err.ersjournals.com/content/23/134/538.abstract N2 - Asthma: Comorbidities, Coexisting Conditions, and Diff erential Diagnosis Richard F. Lockey, Dennis K. Ledford Oxford University Press. 481. £52.00. 978-0199918065.It is a very good idea to focus on this problem at a time when the heterogeneity of asthma is well recognised. The book comprises 33 chapters, divided into 11 diff erent sections, covering this important topic, all of which are written by experts in the fi eld. All these factors may aff ect asthma diagnosis, control and, perhaps, phenotypes and future risks. Overall, this book highlights the need to consider a step-by-step assessment of these factors in patients with asthma.The complexity of the interrelationship between asthma and the comorbid or coexisting condition is one of the current major challenges in asthma. The main issue is to correctly defi ne the comorbidity, the coexisting conditions or a diff erential diagnosis. Thus, it is surprising that the term “diffi cult asthma” is not used in this book. This terminology covers asthma that is uncontrolled, despite the best available management. From this starting point, the physician should secure the diagnosis (diff erential diagnosis), and then assess the compliance to treatment. The next step should focus on comorbid conditions and coexisting conditions and their potential to interfere with the best disease control. At the end of a long follow-up period, investigations will result in the potential term “severe asthma”.In the … ER -