Table 3 The differential diagnosis of asthma

Common

COPD

Infectious etiologies

(1) Bacterial

(2) Viral

(3) Fungal

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS)

Congestive heart failure (CHF)

Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) and other disorders of the upper airway

Less frequent

Idiopathic anaphylaxis with predominant respiratory manifestations

Aspirin or nonsteroidal exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD or Samter’s triad)

Malignancy

Sarcoidosis and other autoimmune processes

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Pulmonary hypertension

Drug induced bronchospasm

Uncommon

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM)

Cystic fibrosis

Loeffler’s syndrome and other eosinophilic lung diseases

Vasculitides

(1) Churg-Strauss vasculitis (eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis [EGPA])

(2) Wegener’s granulomatosis (chronic granulomatosis with polyangiitis [GPA])

(3) Microscopic polyangiitis