New research finds pediatricians treat asthma based on a number of factors in addition to symptoms, including hospitalization, symptom frequency, direction, and wheezing, as well as the parent's discomfort with the child's asthma status.

By surveying a random sample of 335 members of the American Academy of Pediatrics, investigators discovered that pediatricians were significantly more likely to increase treatment for a recently hospitalized patient (45% versus 18%), a bothered parent (67% versus 18%), poorly controlled symptoms (albuterol use 4-5 times per week; 100% versus 18%), or if there was wheezing on examination (45% versus 18%) compared with patients who had well-controlled symptoms.

They also found that pediatricians seemed far less willing to step down therapy, even when it was indicated that patients had control of their asthma.