Reply

Longo et？al1 raise an interesting issue regarding the differentiation of eosinophilic asthma that may be nonatopic in nature. As indicated in our study, the likelihood of a favorable response to daily inhaled corticosteroid therapy in young children with emerging asthma was associated with either a blood eosinophil count of greater than or equal to 300？cells/mm3 or allergic sensitization as defined by multiallergen testing.2 The combination of these 2 features enhanced the likelihood of a favorable response as compared with our other 2 treatment strategies, either daily oral montelukast or inhaled corticosteroid administered with albuterol at the time of symptoms.