A 12-year-old male has peak expiratory flow results that indicate 60-80% of the predicted range. How is his asthma classified?

The classification of asthma is based on symptom frequency, nighttime awakenings, the need for rescue medications, and peak expiratory flow results. In this case, the peak expiratory flow results indicate that the patient's lung function is at 60-80% of the predicted range, which places him in the moderate persistent asthma category.

Moderate persistent asthma is characterized by daily symptoms and nighttime awakenings more than once a week but not nightly. Children in this category often require the use of a rescue inhaler more than twice a week but not daily, and their lung function, as indicated by peak expiratory flow measurements, is moderately reduced. This aligns with the given flow results which fall within the 60-80% range, confirming that the patient's condition is moderate persistent asthma.

In contrast, mild intermittent asthma typically presents with less frequent symptoms, with peak flow results often above 80% of the predicted range. Mild persistent asthma is also characterized by peaks above 80% but involves more frequent episodes compared to intermittent asthma. Severe asthma would present with more significant variations in lung function, often less than 60% of predicted peak flow, and would exhibit more severe symptoms.