[Asthma: an inflammatory disease].

Asthma is a bronchial disease, which is often allergic. Progress in the knowledge of its physiopathology allowed the demonstration of the local bronchial inflammatory process. The arguments supporting this new approach are experimental, clinical and therapeutical. This new approach is confirmed by the real therapeutical revolution, bronchial anti-inflammatory treatment based on inhaled corticosteroids. Furthermore, this approach was clearly synthetized by a new definition of asthma, which resulted from a recent international consensus.