Asthma Helpline

Dirt Prevents Allergy, Danish Research Suggests

2011-12-05T18:14:53Z

ScienceDaily (Nov. 2, 2011) â€" If infants encounter a wide range of bacteria they are less at risk of developing allergic disease later in life.. This is the conclusion of research from the University of Copenhagen, which suggests completely new factors in many modern lifestyle diseases.sbaijalhttp://www.asthmahelpline.com ...

Acetaminophen May Be Linked To Asthma In Children And Adults

2011-09-29T17:56:39Z

ScienceDaily (Nov. 5, 2009) â€" New research shows that the widely used pain reliever acetaminophen may be associated with an increased risk of asthma and wheezing in both children and adults exposed to the drug.sbaijalhttp://www.asthmahelpline.com ...

High-Fat Meals a No-No for Asthma Patients, Researchers Find

2011-09-29T17:49:20Z

ScienceDaily (May 17, 2010) â€" People with asthma may be well-advised to avoid heavy, high-fat meals, according to new research. Individuals with asthma who consumed a high-fat meal showed increased airway inflammation just hours after the binge, according to Australian researchers who conducted the study. The high fat meal also appeared to inhibit the response to theasthma reliever medication Ventolin (albuterol).sbaijalhttp://www.asthmahelpline.com ...

Low-Fat Yogurt Intake when Pregnant Linked to Increased Risk of Child Asthma and Hay Fever, Study Suggests

2011-09-29T17:47:16Z

ScienceDaily (Sep. 18, 2011) â€" Eating low-fat yogurt whilst pregnant can increase the risk of your child developing asthma and allergic rhinitis (hay fever), according to recent findings.sbaijalhttp://www.asthmahelpline.com ...

Heat in Chili Peppers Can Ease Sinus Problems, Research Shows

2011-09-22T18:02:25Z

ScienceDaily (Aug. 26, 2011) â€" Hot chili peppers are known to make people "tear up," but a new study led by University of Cincinnati allergy researcher Jonathan Bernstein, MD, found that a nasal spray containing an ingredient derived from hot chili peppers (Capsicum annum) may help people "clear up" certain types of sinus inflammation.sbaijalhttp://www.asthmahelpline.com ...

Traffic Pollution Affecting Unborn Children, Says Asthma Expert

2011-09-15T17:57:12Z

ScienceDaily (July 6, 2011) â€" A UK academic is calling for a nationwide study into the effects traffic pollution has on asthma sufferers after his own research in Cairo highlighted health problems in children who may even be affected while still in the womb. ...

Gastric Bacterium Helicobacter Pylori Protects Against Asthma

2011-09-15T17:45:31Z

Infection with the gastric bacterium Helicobacter pylori provides reliable protection against allergy-induced asthma, immunologists from the University of Zurich have demonstrated in an animal model together with allergy specialists from the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Their results published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation confirm the hypothesis recently put forward that the dramatic increase in allergic diseases in industrial societies is linked to the rapid disappearance of specific micro-organisms that populate the human body.

...

News-Jan-Feb 2009

2009-02-04T18:48:00Z

Formoterol Plus Low-Dose Budesonide May Improve Asthma Control

Adding formoterol to low-dose budesonide treatment is more likely to be associated with well-controlled asthma vs a large increase in the dose of an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), according to the results of a study reported in the December issue of Chest.

"Combination therapy with...ICSs and long-acting beta 2-agonists (LABAs), or treatment with high doses of ICSs alone improves asthma control when therapy with low-dose ICSs is not sufficient," write Paul M. O'Byrne, MB, FCCP, from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues. "However, it is not known which of these treatment options is more effective in sustaining asthma control."

"The addition of formoterol to therapy with low-dose budesonide increases the probability of well-controlled asthma compared to a substantial increase in the dose of an ICS," the study authors write. "This analysis demonstrates no benefit for increasing the ICS doses alone in achieving well-controlled asthma, although reductions in exacerbations and time with poor control were observed."

Inhalers Do Not Improve Outcomes in Preschoolers With Intermittent Wheezing

Corticosteroid and leukotriene antagonist inhalers do not improve outcomes when used episodically by preschool children with moderate-to-severe intermittent wheezing associated with respiratory tract infection, according to a new report.

Many preschoolers who wheeze in the context of respiratory tract infections experience severe exacerbations separated by extended periods of wellness, but evidence for management strategies in these children is lacking.

Dr. Leonard B. Bacharier from Washington University and St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, and colleagues in the Childhood Asthma Research and Education (CARE) Network of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute evaluated the impact of three different treatment strategies on the course of moderate-to-severe intermittent wheezing over a 12-month period.

Improvements in these short-term outcomes were limited to children with positive Asthma Predictive Index (API) status, the investigators say, whereas those with negative API status did not experience significant reductions in any of the symptom scores compared with conventional therapy.

"For those children with a negative API, treatment other than symptom relief is unlikely to be of help," the editorial concludes. "For those children with a positive API, intermittent (or regular) use of oral montelukast or wet nebulized budesonide may be of value."

J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008;122:1127-1137.

Breathing Training Is Beneficial for Asthmatic Patients

Asthmatic adults who receive breathing training show improvements in health status, asthma symptoms, and psychological well-being, even though asthma pathophysiology is not changed.

In the January issue of Thorax, Dr. M. Thomas of the University of Aberdeen, UK, and colleagues report on a prospective, randomized study in which 183 asthma patients with impaired health status received either three sessions of physiotherapist-supervised breathing training or nurse-delivered education.

No association was observed between breathing training and significant changes in airway physiology, inflammation, or hyper-responsiveness.

"This study suggests that breathing exercises may potentially have a role in patients with suboptimally controlled mild to moderate asthma, but the use of such techniques must occur with patient education on the ongoing need for anti-inflammatory pharmacotherapy".

Thorax 2009;64:55-61.

Pravastatin Controls Airway Inflammation in Mouse Model of Allergic Asthma

Pravastatin suppresses sensitization to allergens, down-regulates interleukin-17 (IL-17) production, and appears to suppress inflammation in general in the lungs of sensitized mice.

Dr. M. Imamura and colleagues at the University of Tokyo believe their findings suggest "statins could be a novel therapeutic option for treatment of asthma." Their findings are reported in the January 1 online issue of Thorax.

"Our findings and previous studies with simvastatin indicate that statins could inhibit the progression of ongoing airway inflammation in patients with bronchial asthma. However, whether the results obtained with an animal model can be adapted to human asthma remains unclear," Dr. Imamura and colleagues write.

"Although the animal model using ovalbumin is one of the most popular methods of analyzing allergic airway inflammation, there are some differences between this model and human asthma," the Tokyo team cautions.
Thorax 2009;64:4-5,44-49.

Severe Asthma With Fungal Sensitization May Respond to Oral Antifungal Therapy

Approximately 60% of patients with severe asthma with fungal sensitization (SAFS) respond to antifungal therapy, according to the results of a randomized controlled trial reported in the January 1, 2009, issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

"Some patients with severe asthma are immunologically sensitized to one or more fungi, a clinical entity categorized as...SAFS," write David W. Denning, FRCP, from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom, and colleagues from the Fungal Asthma Sensitization Trial Study. "It is not known whether SAFS responds to antifungal therapy."

The goal of this study was to assess the response of patients with SAFS to treatment with oral itraconazole. Participants had severe asthma and were sensitized to at least 1 of 7 fungi based on skin prick or specific immunoglobin E (IgE) testing. In all participants, total IgE levels were less than 1000 IU/mL and Aspergillus precipitins results were negative.

"SAFS responds to oral antifungal therapy as judged by large improvements in quality of life in about 60% of patients," the study authors write.

Limitations of this study include small sample size, imprecise definition of fungal sensitization and fungal allergy, and recruitment lower than the initial target.

"The primary aim of this proof-of-concept study was to contribute key data to the long-standing debate about whether there is any direct link between fungal exposure and asthma," the study authors conclude. "Our data are most consistent with an important and poorly understood relationship. Our study results indicate that a new treatment approach using antifungal therapy in severe asthma is clinically useful, and that we have much to understand about the daily interaction between fungi and humans."
Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2009;179:11-18.

Increased Leptin Levels Linked to Asthma

Increased serum leptin levels correspond to asthma severity, according to a new study presented here at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 2008 Annual Meeting.

The hormone leptin plays important roles in controlling appetite and promoting inflammation. Leptin resistance is commonly observed in obese patients, who can suffer from obesity-related asthma. Epidemiologic studies suggest that the frequency and severity of asthma is higher in obese people.

Asthma is common in extremely obese patients, lead investigator U. García-Ramírez, MD, a resident in allergy and immunology at National Medical Center, Mexico City, told Medscape Allergy & Clinical Immunology. This study "suggests that high serum leptin concentrations [are associated with] an increase in asthma severity." He speculated that reducing a patient's BMI could also reduce asthma severity.

The results suggest that asthma patients could be well served by losing weight, said session moderator Timothy Craig, DO, professor of medicine and pediatrics at Penn State University. "Previous studies are conflicting, but this suggests that there is a correlation. It's probably worth the effort" to get the patient to lose weight.

Still, he and others in attendance noted that the results do not demonstrate a causative link between leptin levels and asthma; an underlying condition could be contributing to both. "It's a question [of which came first], the bird or the egg," said Dr. Craig.
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) 2008 Annual Meeting: Abstract 5. Presented November 9, 2008.

Breastfeeding May Reduce Child's Risk of Asthma More Than 20%

Breastfeeding reduces risk of childhood wheeze, whether related to viral infections or multiple triggers, for the first 3 years of life, investigators announced here at the 18th Annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society.

The findings, from a community-based cohort study of British children, also indicate that mothers with asthma who breastfeed do not increase their child's risk of asthma.

Tiotropium-Formoterol Better Than Salmeterol-Fluticasone in COPD

2008-09-05T04:02:00Z

Chest 2008;134:255-262.

Combination therapy with tiotropium and formoterol achieves great improvement in daytime lung function (FEV1) in patients with moderate COPD than does salmeterol and fluticasone.

Dr. Klaus F. Rabe of Leiden University Medical Center and colleagues note that inhaled corticosteroids such as fluticasone along with a long-acting bronchodilator is a popular choice for patients with COPD. However, they observe, use of two bronchodilators from different classes might be of greater help.

To investigate, the researchers studied 592 patients with moderate COPD who were randomized to treatment with once daily tiotropium and twice daily formoterol or twice daily salmeterol and twice daily fluticasone.

At 6 weeks, the team found that the 12-hour FEV1 profile in the tiotropium-formoterol combination patients was generally higher than in those given the salmeterol-fluticasone combination. Other measures of lung function also favored the tiotropium group.

Both treatments were well tolerated.

The findings, say the investigators, "support current treatment recommendations in moderate COPD to combine two bronchodilators of different classes rather than to add an inhaled corticosteroid," if a single bronchodilator is not sufficient.

Given these results, the researchers conclude, "Long-term studies in patients with severe COPD are warranted to assess the relative efficacy of different treatment combinations."

http://www.asthmahelpline.com/COPD.htm

Things which every body must know about asthma

2008-08-19T18:30:00Z

Asthma affects millions of people worldwide. It is one of the disease where the incidence of disease is increasing year by year. It is also the most common chronic disease affecting children. Here are some important facts about asthma that everybody must know about asthma.

1. Asthma is not a communicable disease. You cannot get infected and get asthma by any asthma patient. Asthma is disease where genetic and environmental factors play role.

2. Asthma is caused by the chronic inflammation (swelling) of airways of lungs.

3. Airway inflammation contributes to airway hyperresponsiveness, airflow limitation, respiratory symptoms.

4. Atopy, the genetic predisposition for the development of an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated response to common aeroallergens, is the strongest identifiable predisposing factor for developing asthma.

5. Viral respiratory infections are one of the most important causes of asthma execerbation and may also contribute to the development of asthma.

6. The main symptoms of asthma are wheezing, coughing, recurrent breathlessness or shortness of breath, tightness of the chest, and pain or pressure on the chest.

7. Diagnosis of asthma is made by detailed medical history, physical exam focusing on the upper respiratory tract, chest, and skin and spirometry.

8. Asthma is not a contraindication for doing exercise. Many great athletes suffer from asthma.

9. Two main categories of asthma medication are relievers (used to treat symptoms and exacerbations) and preventer (agents for long-term control, used to achieve and maintain control of persistent asthma) medication.

10. Inhaled route is the most preferred way to deliver asthma medication as it delivers drugs directly to lung airways. So the action is fast and drug side effects are very low.

11. Asthma is one of the most common potentially life-threatening condition complicating pregnancy. Read pregnancy and asthma.

12. Remember that asthma is a treatable disease and you can live a healthy and productive life like any body else with proper treatment.

Latest asthma news that can effect your life

2008-07-16T05:43:00Z

Eating nut (peanut) products during pregnancy increases risk for childhood asthma

Mothers who eat nut products such as peanut butter during pregnancy might be increasing the likelihood of their offspring developing childhood asthma, prospective study findings indicate. “Daily consumption of nut products increased the risk of asthma outcomes during the first 8 years of life” Saskia Willers (Utrecht University, The Netherlands) and colleagues write in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. “This study provides evidence on the relationship between maternal diet during pregnancy and longitudinal development of childhood asthma.” The authors found that maternal vegetable, fish, egg, milk or milk products, and nut consumption did not affect childhood asthma outcomes after 8 years of follow-up. By contrast, the daily consumption of nut products increased the risk for childhood wheeze and asthma symptoms. They conclude: "More research is needed to study the effect of exposure to nut or nut products or other allergenic foods during pregnancy, not only on the development of food allergy, but also on the development of asthma and other allergic diseases.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2008; 178: 124-131
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Dietary sodium levels have no impact on asthma control

Asthmatics derive no extra benefit from adhering to a low-sodium diet as an adjunctive therapy to standard treatment, UK researchers report. Previously observational studies and initial randomized trials suggested that a low-sodium diet may improve asthma control. This study had total of 199 participants with physician-diagnosed asthma and measurable bronchial reactivity to methacholine. Pogson and colleagues found no differences between the two groups (low-sodium diet and placebo) after 6 weeks in terms of change in bronchial reactivity to methacholine, change in lung function, allergen skin prick test responses, morning and evening peak expiratory flow, asthma symptoms score, daily bronchodilator use, Juniper Standardized Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score, or atopy. The role of a low-sodium diet on asthma control did not show any evidence of a therapeutic benefit.
The author added: “We cannot exclude the possibility that a low-sodium diet may improve asthma control in those who either consume higher baseline levels of dietary sodium or can achieve a greater decrease in dietary sodium intake than we observed.”
Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2008; 178: 132-138
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Fish oil consumption during pregnancy could protect against asthma

Mothers who take fish oil supplements in the final trimester of their pregnancy could be reducing the risk for their child developing asthma, Danish researchers report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Tine Henriksen (Aarhus University Hospital) and team examined whether increasing maternal intake of n–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in pregnancy affects the risk for offspring developing asthma. In 1990 the team randomly assigned a population-based sample of 533 women with normal pregnancies to receive four 1-g gelatin capsules per day with fish oil providing 2.7 g n–3 PUFAs (n=266); four 1-g, similar-looking capsules per day with olive oil (n=136); or no oil capsules (n=131). The hazard rate for asthma was reduced by 63%, while the hazard rate for allergic asthma was reduced by 87%, in the fish oil compared with the placebo group.
Am J Clin Nutr 2008; 88: 167-175
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Paracetamol triples asthma risk in Europeans

Findings from a case–control study of European asthma patients further support the proposed link between the use of paracetamol and the risk for asthma. Seif Shaheen (Imperial College, London, UK) and co-workers note that evidence from the UK and USA shows that frequent paracetamol use is associated with asthma in adults, but data from Europe remain limited. After controlling their data for confounders such as body mass index, smoking, and socioeconomic status, the researchers found that the risk for asthma was almost three times greater in people who used paracetamol at least once a week compared with those who used the drug less frequently. Of interest, paracetamol was the only analgesic used that affected asthma risk, suggesting that the effect is specific to paracetamol and is not a feature of the drug class. Given the high prevalence of asthma and paracetamol use in some countries, the authors conclude that “there is now a need to carry out suitable intervention studies to determine whether the asthma/paracetamol link is causal.”
Eur Respir J 2008; Advance online publication
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Majority of parents see no cigarette-asthma link

Parents underestimate the effects of second-hand smoke exposure on their children’s risk for asthma, despite generally understanding the importance of preventing such exposure, study results suggest. Despite the failure by most caregivers to relate their own smoking to their children’s asthma, 61.3% had attempted to stop smoking for the sake of their children’s health and 72.7% tried to keep children away from smoke-filled environments. The authors comment: “Our findings on the contribution of passive smoke exposure from day-care providers have important implications for public policy, parent education, and physician counseling.”
Chest 2008; 133: 1367-1374
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Wood smoke provokes airway and systemic inflammatory response

A research study shows that exposure to wood smoke from forest fires causes lung inflammation, cough, sputum production, and nasal congestion in young healthy seasonal forest firefighters. “The present results provide a plausible mechanism for the increased cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality that epidemiological studies have associated with air pollution from biomass smoke inhalation,” the authors write in the European Respiratory Journal. “The findings also support a growing body of research showing that inhalation of particulate matter from a variety of sources generates a local inflammatory response within the lungs, which subsequently initiates a systemic response resulting in the adverse health consequences associated with air pollution exposure researchers report.” Van Eeden and team conclude: “These adverse health effects may be of little clinical consequence for young healthy firefighters; however, in susceptible subjects exposed to wildfire smoke they could trigger exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, predispose to lung infection, or precipitate acute cardiac events.”
Eur Respir J 2008; 32: 129-138
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Mediterranean diet leads to better asthma control in children

Asthma and hay fever patients can reduce their symptoms and improve their lung function by eating a Mediterranean-style diet, researchers report. The researchers found that patients with well-controlled asthma were significantly more likely to have a high intake of fruit and vegetables and a lower intake of alcohol than those with poorly controlled asthma. Patients with a largely Mediterranean-style diet were 78% less likely to have poorly controlled asthma than those with more less healthy diets. The team also found that a high intake of fresh fruit was independently associated with a 71% reduced risk of poorly controlled asthma, whereas high alcohol intake significantly increased the risk.
Allergy 2008; 63: 917-923

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Homemade spacers good alternatives to commercial products

Homemade spacers for metered-dose asthma inhalers could be a viable option for children in countries where manufactured spacers are too expensive for the general population and availability is limited, study findings indicate. Rodriguez-Martinez and team systematically reviewed the results of six randomized clinical trials that compared the response to inhaled beta-2 agonists, delivered through home-made or commercially produced spacers, in 658 children with acute exacerbations of wheezing or asthma. The researchers found no significant differences between the two types of spacers in terms of need for hospital admission, change in oxygen saturation, peak expiratory flow rate, clinical score, need for additional treatment, or change in heart rate per minute. The team concludes: "Selection of the spacer device for an individual patient should begin with a commercial spacer, with home-made spacers being used if a commercial device is not available."
Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008; 2: CD005536
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Maternal bronchial hyperresponsiveness increases non-atopic asthma risk

Non-atopic children whose mothers exhibit bronchial hyperreactivity are more likely to develop asthma than the children of mothers with a normal bronchial response, according to Turkish researchers. The researchers used the American Thoracic Society Respiratory Disease questionnaire to record data on asthma and rhinitis symptoms, and past medical history, from 51 children aged 4–16 years and their parents. Skin prick tests, pulmonary function, and methacholine bronchial provocation tests were also performed, and serum levels of IgE were determined. They conclude: “Consequently, the maternal component of bronchial hyperreactivity suggests that the influence of genetic factors may be transmitted from one generation to the next.”
Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2008; 19: 248-254

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July 2008

2008-07-03T12:13:00Z

Complications/ risks of surgery in Asthma patient?

Patients who have asthma are at risk for specific complications during and after surgery. These
complications include:

Acute bronchoconstriction triggered by intubation,
Hypoxemia and
Possible hypercapnia,
Impaired effectiveness of cough,
Atelectasis, and
Respiratory infection
Latex exposure (allergy)
Allergy to some anesthetic agents

The likelihood of these complications depends on the severity of the patient’s airway
hyperresponsiveness, airflow obstruction, mucus hypersecretions, latex sensitivity, and
history of prior surgeries, because the latter is a risk factor for both latex and anesthetic
agent sensitivities.
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Actions to be taken before surgery in asthma patients:

Patients who have asthma should have an evaluation before surgery that includes a review of symptoms, medication use (particularly the use of oral systemic corticosteroids for longer than 2 weeks in the past 6 months), and measurement of pulmonary function.

If possible, attempts should be made to improve lung function preoperatively (FEV1 or peak expiratory flow rate [PEFR]) to either their predicted values or their personal best level. A short course of oral systemic corticosteroids may be necessary to optimize lung function.

For patients who have received oral systemic corticosteroids during the past 6 months and for selected patients on a long-term high dose of an ICS, give 100 mg hydrocortisone every 8 hours intravenously during the surgical period and reduce the dose rapidly within 24 hours after surgery. Stress doses of
corticosteroids may be considered for select patients treated with prior high-dose ICS therapy as well, because clinically important adrenal suppression has been reported in such patients, particularly children.
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Gastro-esophageal Reflux syndrome and asthma:

Asthma may be caused or worsened by to gastro-esophageal reflux. The symptoms of GERD are common in both children and adults who have asthma. Reflux during sleep can contribute to nocturnal asthma. Treatment with a proton pump inhibitor was reported to reduce nocturnal symptoms, reduce asthma exacerbations, and improve quality of life related to asthma. Surgical treatment has been reported to reduce the symptoms of asthma and the requirement for medication.
For patients who have poorly controlled asthma, particularly with a nocturnal component, investigation for GERD may be warranted even in the absence of suggestive symptoms
medical management of GERD be instituted for patients who have asthma and complain of frequent heartburn or pyrosis, particularly those who have frequent episodes of nocturnal asthma.

Medical management of GERD includes:

Avoiding heavy meals, fried food, caffeine, and alcohol.
Avoiding food and drink within 3 hours of retiring.
Elevating the head of the bed on 6- to 8-inch blocks.
Using appropriate pharmacologic therapy.

For patients who have persistent reflux symptoms following optimal therapy, further evaluation
is indicated and surgical treatment may be advised.
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Sugar Intake Linked to Asthma in kids

Diet Rich in Sweets Could Promote Kids' Asthma, Study Shows
Sugar could give kids asthma, animal research suggests. Asthma now affects nearly 9% of children and teens, a figure that has doubled since the 1980s, according to a study published last year.

To test their theory, the researchers studied two groups of mice. One group was given water. The other mice were offered sugar-laced water and allowed to drink up -- as much as they wanted.

"Their behavior was just like in kids," Kierstein tells WebMD. "Once they tasted [the sugar water], they went back again and again."

Both groups of mice were then injected with an allergen in an effort to make them more tolerant to that allergen. The idea of tolerance is to strengthen the immune system to fight off the effects of a future exposure to that allergen. Allergens are substances that can cause allergic reactions such as runny noses and hives and can trigger asthma symptoms.

Then, both groups of mice were reinjected with the same allergen and the researchers looked at whether there was any difference in how susceptible the two groups were to inflammation in the airways and the allergic response.

Kierstein says, "is that the sugar-fed mice had more than twice as much airway inflammation as the water-fed mice. Their immune systems were more activated. This makes them more susceptible to asthma."

High-fructose corn syrup, soda and sugar-laden fruit punch, an ingredient in many fruit drinks, are also rich in sugar or other form of sugar."

Asthma

June 2008

2008-06-05T05:20:00Z

Mouth breathing worsens lung function in mild asthmatics
Recent research show that, switching from nose to mouth breathing causes a reduction in lung function among normally asymptomatic patients with mild asthma. The adverse effect of mouth breathing is well known in symptomatic asthmatics and contributes to exercise- induced asthma attacks. Nose breathing is protective against exercise-related symptoms. Bypassing the filtering effects of nasal breathing allows more aeroallergens to reach the lungs and causes drying and cooling of bronchial mucosal surfaces, say Hallani et al. After 1 hour of enforced mouth breathing, eight women with mild, asymptomatic asthma had about a 5% reduction in FEV1. They also reported slight breathing difficulties after the experiment, and three participants suffered coughing and/or wheezing.They add: “The combination of symptoms in association with a 5% reduction in FEV1 values suggests that this is a clinically important difference in FEV1.”When the women breathed only through their noses for 1 hour, their lung function was not affected, at 101.2% and 101.1% predicted before and after the experiment, respectively. Asthmatic patients switch from nose to mouth breathing at about half the nasal resistive threshold load of healthy people researchers note.

Respirology 2008; 13: 553–558

Maternal farm exposure can protect newborns from allergies
German researchers have found that babies born to mothers exposed to farms, particularly to barns and farm milk, while pregnant develop protection from allergies. Functional suppression was also more pronounced in offspring of farming mothers.“Early life exposure to a farming environment and in particular maternal exposure to farm milk and barns in pregnancy modulates T regulatory cell function in cord blood,” the authors commented. They concluded: “This may indicate a functional activation of T regulatory cells in neonates, potentially contributing to the allergy-protective effect in farming children.”
American Thoracic Society International Conference; Toronto, Ontario, Canada: 16–21 May 2008

Meta-analysis rejects dietary antioxidant link to asthma
In a meta-analysis it is has been found that low dietary intake of antioxidants is unlikely to account for the rising prevalence of asthma. The meta-analysis was based entirely on cross-sectional studies, but Jinming Gao (Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China) and colleagues say their findings are consistent with the results of three prospective studies that failed to demonstrate a protective effect of vitamin C and E supplementation against asthma. Although this finding implies a role for vitamin C in preserving lung function, the team stresses that smoking and second-hand smoke exposure may affect the results by reducing both vitamin C levels and lung function.“The influence of a ‘good diet’ in preventing the development of asthma remains poorly understood and knowledge is limited,” Gao et al conclude. They note: “It remains possible that the current view of the importance of vitamins C and E is due to other associated nutrients and lifestyle exposures that are currently underrecognised.”
Respirology 2008; 13: 528–536

Smoking may reduce allergen tolerance
Cigarette smoke enhances acute allergic airway inflammation and delays tolerance to prolonged challenge with inhaled antigen in experimental asthma, Belgian researchers report in the journal Respiratory Research. Recently, Chris Van Hove and colleagues from Ghent University found that eosinophilic airway inflammation in allergic mice could be cleared by repeated allergen challenge, which resulted in a state of inhalational tolerance.
Respiratory Research 2008; 9: 42

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MAY 2008 NEWS

2008-05-07T03:56:00Z

Asthma Asthma Cause Asthma Symptoms Asthma Diagnosis Asthma Treatment

Tree-lined streets may cut asthma risk

May 02, 2008 - MedWire News: Children who live on a tree-lined street have a lower risk for developing asthma than children living on treeless city streets, according to US researchers.

Writing in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Gina Lovasi and colleagues from Columbia University in New York explain that “street trees were associated with a lower prevalence of early childhood asthma.”

They then used street tree count data provided by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to investigate the association between tree density and asthma prevalence and hospitalizations.

Tree density did not have any impact on asthma hospitalization rates.

Although the results are striking, the authors caution that their results do not permit an inference that trees are causally related to asthma at the individual level.

Lovasi and team conclude: “The PlaNYC sustainability initiative, which includes a commitment to plant one million trees by the year 2017, offers an opportunity for a large prospective evaluation.”

J Epidemiol Community Health 2008: Advance online publication

Increased Arterial Stiffness Common in COPD Patients

Researchers have noted excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in COPD patients is probably caused by increased arterial stiffness and elevated blood pressure that is present in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The reasons why patients with COPD are at high risk of having a heart attack or stroke compared to the general population "are not clear," Dr. Joy J. Miller, from Borders General Hospital and the University of Edinburgh, noted in comments to Reuters Health.
"This suggests that COPD is not simply a disease of the lungs but involves other systems including the heart and vasculature," Dr. Miller said.
Systemic inflammation is present in COPD patients causing upto three fold rise in serum C-reactive protein levels in compatision to control patients .
"The use of simple effective treatments to lower blood pressure has the potential to prevent excess heart attacks and strokes in COPD patients," she concluded.
Thorax 2008;63:306-311.

Beta Blockers Can Be Safely Used in Hospitalized COPD Patients

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Apr 23 - Beta blockers can be safely used in patients hospitalized with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

"Beta blockers dramatically improve outcomes in those with or at risk for cardiovascular disease," Dr. Mark T. Dransfield, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told Reuters Health. "These data suggest that even during an acute exacerbation of COPD when lung function is most compromised the drugs are not associated with harm."

Preeclampsia Linked With Airway Hyperresponsiveness

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Apr 23 - There appears to be a relationship between preeclampsia and an increase in airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), according to UK investigators, who believe their study to be the first report of such an association.

In the current study, the researchers measured AHR and atopy in 19 preeclamptic women and in 19 normotensive pregnancies (controls) 3 to 60 months postpartum. A methacholine challenge was used to measure AHR.

They conclude that AHR is increased in women who have had preeclampsia, an observation strengthened by the "important finding" that AHR was also increased in preeclamptic women with atopy but without asthma. This indicates that the "increase in AHR in the women with preeclampsia was not simply a consequence of the increased number of subjects with asthma in the group."

BJOG 2008;115:520-522.

Secondhand Smoke: Just 30 Minutes is enough.

A study published in American College of Cardiology reports that just 30 minutes in a smoky room can cause profound blood vessel injury in healthy young adults, greatly increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Secondhand smoke, also called environmental tobacco smoke, is no less harmful that smoking itself. Smoke exhaled by smoker contains almost all the harmful chemicals which he himself inhails. yhis includes nicotine which have been shown to increase one’s risk for cardiovascular disease.

Study was done by Christian Heiss, MD, currently affiliated with the University RWTH Aachen in Germany, and colleagues in California.

The researchers learned that in healthy nonsmokers, even brief exposure to secondhand smoke resulted in blood vessel dysfunction and interfered with the activity of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which are believed to play a key role in repairing blood vessels. The damage to the EPCs appeared to last as long as a day.

"Taken together, these findings provide further evidence that even a very short period of passive smoke exposure has strong, persistent vascular consequences," the scientists write in the journal article.

A decrease in the number and function of EPCs has been linked to cardiovascular risk factors, including chronic smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

News is from outer sources we take no responsibility for the authenticity of content

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The high prevalence of undiagnosed cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD

2008-04-26T10:40:00Z

MedWire News: The high prevalence of undiagnosed cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the adult patient population registered to a Polish primary care clinic suggests that case-finding is worthwhile, researchers report.

Writing in the journal Thorax, Michal Bednarek (National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Warsaw, Poland) and colleagues report that a “large number of newly detected patients were symptomatic and needed treatment.”

Epidemiologic studies suggest that only a small fraction of COPD cases are diagnosed in the general population. Bednarek and colleagues investigated the prevalence and severity of COPD, and the fraction of patients already diagnosed and treated, in 1960 adult patients in a primary care practice in the Polish town of Sierpc.

The team found pre-bronchodilator airflow limitation in 299 (15%) participants and post-bronchodilator limitation in 211 (11%). COPD was diagnosed in 183 (9.3%) patients, and of these patients, the degree of airflow limitation was mild in 30.6%, moderate in 51.4%, severe in 15.3%, and very severe in 2.7%.

Only 18.6% of the patients had been previously diagnosed with COPD, and almost all had severe or very severe airflow limitation.

“Our study confirmed that COPD affected around 9% of the adult patients seen in a primary care setting in Poland,” the authors write.

They add: “The disease was largely under-diagnosed without spirometry: only patients with severe disease had been diagnosed and treated.”

The team concludes: “COPD case-finding should be done using office spirometry in high-risk patients, smokers, and subjects with respiratory symptoms.”

Thorax 2008; Advance online publication

Asthma

Oral asthma medication

2008-04-26T10:36:00Z

Oral asthma medication are not the first line of treatment for asthma. They are mainly used in stage-III and stage IV of asthma control as an add on to the inhaled medications. Though in some poor countries oral medications are used as the first resort due to their less cost. Oral medications have more side effects than inhaled forms and are also less effective. Consult a asthma specialist before trying any medicine. if you want to read more about oral asthma medication vivit the links below:

Aminophylline tablets:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601015.html

Theophyllin tablets:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a681006.html

Salbutamol (Albuterol) tablets:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a607004.html

Prednesolone tablets:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601102.html

Methylprednisolone tablets:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682795.html

Montelukast tablets:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a600014.html

May 2008

2008-04-26T10:22:00Z

Increased salt intake linked to poor asthma control.
In 1930s, a provocative study found a high-salt diet worsened asthma symptoms in children. Since then link of salt with asthma has facinated many scientists. A recent work by Tim Mickleborough, Ph.D., a physiologist at Indiana University’s Department of Kinesiology has again proved the link of higher salt intake and poor asthma control even in adults also.

Mickleborough and his colleagues started with 24 young men and women with exercise-induced asthma. Twelve were put on a low-salt diet that allowed them no more than 3,750 mg of salt per day (that’s 1,600 mg sodium, salt being 40 percent sodium). The other 12 were put on a high-salt diet: they ate the same foods as the first group plus a daily capsule containing 10,000 mg of extra salt. The low-salt group were given placebo capsules. (Government guidelines recommend no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day—about 1 teaspoon salt.)

At the end of the two-week test period, the subjects in both groups ran on a treadmill until they were exhausted, and the team then tested how much air they could exhale.

The researchers found that the people on the low-salt diet could exhale far more air than those on the high-salt diet, and they needed their bronchodilator drugs less often. They also had far fewer markers of inflammation in their sputum, indicating their airways were less constricted.

The findings also showed that when people followed the high-salt diet, the oxygen they breathed was less able to move from their lungs into their bloodstreams. One reason, suggests Mickleborough, is that salt increases the volume of blood in the tiny vessels in the lungs. That forces fluid into the space between the blood vessel and the airway, making it harder for oxygen to travel across that space into the bloodstream.

No one knows precisely how salt creates such havoc, but for his part, Mickleborough thinks using the information to reduce breathless episodes is most important. “In the Western world food is full of salt,” he notes. “Certainly, if you’re asthmatic or an exercised-induced asthmatic, you’ve got to stay away from fast foods, processed food and the salt shaker at the table.”

Asthma: Asthma Cause Asthma Symptoms Asthma Diagnosis Asthma Treatment

FeNO measurement an effective asthma screening tool in young adults & more

2008-04-13T18:15:00Z

FeNO measurement an effective asthma screening tool in young adults
Apr 10, 2008 - MedWire News: Measuring the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) in young adults using a portable analyzer is an effective means of screening for asthma, according to Greek research.

However, the authors of the study caution in the journal Chest that allergic rhinitis and current smoking are significant confounding factors.

FeNO has previously been studied as a screening tool for asthma in children, but until now has not been evaluated in an adult population.

Konstantinos Kostikas and colleagues from the University Hospital of Larissa measured the FeNO values during pollen season of 149 university students with at least one respiratory symptom of asthma and 70 symptom-free controls, using a portable analyzer.

Each student also underwent spirometry testing and was evaluated by a physician blinded to FeNO measurements to determine an asthma diagnosis.

A total of 63 students were diagnosed with asthma, while 57 were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. Asthmatics exhibited higher FeNO values than controls (20 parts per billion [ppb] vs 11 ppb), but did not differ significantly from students with allergic rhinitis (17 ppb).

FeNO values >19 ppb had 85.2% specificity and 52.4% sensitivity for the diagnosis of asthma (area under the curve [AUC]=0.723) across all students, but stratification according to smoking status showed that diagnostic performance was better for nonsmokers (AUC=0.805). However, a FeNO value >25 ppb had specificity >90% for the diagnosis of asthma in both smokers and nonsmokers.

“We report that FeNO measured by a portable analyzer may be used as a screening tool for asthma in a steroid-naive population of young adults during pollen season,” the authors write.

They conclude: “In the era of wider availability and lowering cost of FeNO analyzers, further studies in other age groups are warranted for its validation as a screening tool for asthma in the general population.”

Chest 2008; 133, 906-913

Curry constituent might benefit allergy sufferers
Apr 11, 2008 - MedWire News: Curcumin, which adds the yellow color to curry, inhibits Syk kinase-dependant signalling events in mast cells and shows antiallergic activity in a mast-cell–dependent model of allergy, researchers report.

Writing in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the authors suggest that curcumin might be useful for the treatment of mast-cell–related immediate and delayed allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Mast cells are known to be associated with various allergic and autoimmune disorders, and tyrosine kinases such as Syk have been touted as potential therapeutic targets for suppression of mast-cell activation.

Wahn Soo Choi (Konkuk University, Korea) and colleagues investigated the antiallergic and potential Syk-inhibitory activity of curcumin in mast-cell cultures and a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis mouse model.

They found that curcumin inhibited the antigen-mediated activation of
mast cells and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in mice.

Concentrations as low as 3 µmol/l of curcumin suppressed degranulation and the secretion of tumor necrosis factor TNF-a and interleukin-4 in activated mast cells. Similar concentrations suppressed the Syk-dependent phosphorylations of the adaptor proteins linker of activated T-cells and Grb2-associated binder 2, which are crucial for mast cell activation.

Curcumin directly inhibited Syk kinase activity in vitro, and also inhibited activating phosphorylations of Akt and the mitogen-activated protein kinases p38, p44/42 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, which are crucial for the production of inflammatory cytokines.

“Curcumin possesses antiallergic activity in a mast-cell-dependent model, most likely through its ability to potently inhibit Syk-mediated signals,” the authors write.

Syk inhibition has been shown to reduce allergic airway inflammation, and syk inhibitors are also being evaluated for use in nasal sprays for the treatment of symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis, the authors explain. They suggest that curcumin has similar potential for topical therapy of various allergic diseases, including allergic rhinitis, especially in view of its low toxicity in human subjects.

Choi and colleagues conclude: “Further evaluation of its [curcumin] utility in the treatment of immediate and delayed allergic diseases is warranted”

J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008; Advance online publication

High starting dose of ICS better for patients with established asthma
Apr 09, 2008 - MedWire News: Patients with newly diagnosed asthma respond well to treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) irrespective of the starting dose, but patients with established asthma respond significantly better to a higher starting dose, according to Olaf Selroos from Mjölbolsta Hospital in Karis, Finland.

There is no consensus at present on whether treatment with ICS in asthma should be initiated with a high or low dose, and the Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines offer no advice on the subject.

Selroos designed a placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study to investigate the importance of disease duration on the response to the starting dose of ICS in asthma patients not previously treated with ICS.

Forty patients with newly diagnosed asthma (symptoms for <12 months) and 41 patients with established asthma (mean duration of 5.2 years) were randomly assigned to receive treatment with either 100 or 400 µg budesonide turbuhaler or placebo, twice daily for 12 weeks.

After 12 weeks all four ICS treatments resulted in statistically significant improvements in morning peak expiratory flow (mPEF) from baseline relative to placebo.

There was no significant difference between the responses to different ICS doses in patients with newly detected asthma.

By contrast, patients with established symptoms responded significantly better to a dose of 800 µg/day compared with patients who received 200 µg/day. In addition, the 800 µg/day dose in the early treatment group improved mPEF significantly more than in the delayed treatment group.

“It appears possible to conclude based on these study results that starting with a higher dose of budesonide may be clinically important in adult patients with a longer duration of asthma,” Selroos writes.

He concludes: “In patients with a duration of asthma symptoms <12 months the choice of starting dose does not seem to matter.”

Respir Med 2008; Advance online publication

Cigarette smoke exposure impairs lung homeostasis in infant lungs
Apr 04, 2008 - MedWire News: Exposure to cigarette smoke inhibits innate gene expression and impairs alveolar growth in neonatal mice, US researchers report.

Writing in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, Sharon McGrath-Morrow from The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes, Baltimore, suggest that their findings “may in part explain the increased incidence of respiratory symptoms in infants and children exposed to cigarette smoke.”

Infants exposed to cigarette smoke are at higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome, lower respiratory tract infections, and small airway disease, compared with infants not exposed to cigarette smoke, suggesting that perinatal life represents a period of vulnerability during which exposure to cigarette smoke may impair lung immunity and lung growth.

To investigate the effects of cigarette smoke exposure on the neonatal lung, McGrath-Morrow and team exposed neonatal mice to cigarette smoke for the first 2 weeks of life.

Pulmonary gene-expression profiling revealed that cigarette exposure significantly inhibited type 1 and type 2 interferon pathway genes in neonatal lungs, compared with age-matched control lungs.

In addition, lung volumes at 8 weeks of age were modestly but significantly decreased in mice exposed to cigarette smoke in the neonatal period compared with age-matched controls.

“We found that perinatal lung is susceptible to the effects of cigarette smoke exposure,” the authors note, adding that “in neonatal mice, daily exposure to cigarette smoke for the first 2 weeks of life inhibited the expression of many genes in the lung that are relevant to the innate immune response.”

The team concludes: “Our murine model of cigarette smoke-induced neonatal lung injury may be useful in investigating pathways that are disrupted or altered in developing lung exposed to cigarette smoke, and may help with understanding the overall detrimental effects of smoke exposure on the developing lung.”

Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2008; 38: 393-400

High BMI in young adults linked to increased lung decline later in life
Apr 08, 2008 - MedWire News: Healthy young adults with a low body mass index (BMI) score are able to maintain lung function until well into their fourth decade of life, whereas young adults with a high BMI experience a pronounced 10-year decline in lung function, according to results published in the journal Respiratory Research.

“These results suggest that the obesity epidemic threatens the lung health of the general population,” explain David Jacobs (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA) and colleagues.

Recent research has shown that the prevalence of obesity has increased in the US from 10.9% in 1996 to 22.1% in 2001 in young adults aged 19-26 years, but the association between BMI and future lung function in young adulthood is unclear.

Jacobs and team used data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study to quantify age-related changes in forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio according to baseline BMI and BMI changes.

The team estimated 10-year change in FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC according to baseline BMI and change in BMI within birth cohorts with initial average ages 20, 24, and 28 years in a large cohort of 5,115 Black and White men and women, aged 18-30 years.

Adults with a baseline BMI <21.3 kg/m2 experienced 10-year increases of 71 ml in FVC and 60 ml in FEV1, with neither measure declining up to 38 years.
By contrast, participants with a baseline BMI >26.4 kg/m2 experienced 10-year decreases of 185 ml in FVC and 64 ml in FEV1.

In addition, those who gained the most weight over 10 years had the largest decrease in FVC, but FVC increased with weight gain in those initially thinnest. However, FEV1 decreased with increasing weight gain in all participants, with maximum decline in obese individuals who gained the most weight during the study.

“Loss of lung function by age 38 was not inevitable in these healthy young adults, although those with highest BMI suffered substantial losses,” the authors write.

They conclude: “Whatever the predominant mechanism(s) responsible for these changes might be, these data indicate that maximal lung function may be maintained well into the fourth decade of life; and that, in addition to its other effects on health and disease, the obesity epidemic may threaten the lung function and as a consequence the lung health of the general population.”

Respir Res 2008; 9: 31

Asthma Cause Asthma Symptoms Asthma Diagnosis Asthma Treatment

April News

2008-03-19T12:57:00Z

Aspirin May Cut Asthma Risk in Women...

Reuters Health reported on March 13 that a 100-milligram dose of aspirin taken every other day appears to reduce the risk of asthma in women, according to the results of a large trial.
Still, the researchers emphasize that more studies are needed before aspirin can be recommended solely for this purpose. The findings, which are reported in the medical journal Thorax, indicate a 10 percent reduction in asthma risk with aspirin use, although this beneficial effect was not seen in obese women. There has been a rise in the occurrence of asthma over the last few decades, Dr. Tobias Kurth and colleagues note in their report. At the same time, giving aspirin to children fell in popularity after it was linked to a condition called Reye's syndrome. This has led some researchers to speculate that aspirin may protect against the development of asthma.
For the full story: click here:
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/03/13/eline/links/20080313elin027.html

Study Links Popcorn Flavoring to Lung Disease...

MSNBC reported on March 13 that a chemical used to give butter flavor to popcorn can damage the lungs and airways of mice, U.S. government experts reported on Thursday. Tests on mice show that diacetyl, a component of artificial butter flavoring, can cause a condition known as lymphocytic bronchiolitis, said the team at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health. The condition can lead to obliterative bronchiolitis — or "popcorn lung" — a rare and debilitating disease seen in workers at microwave popcorn packaging plants and at least one consumer.
For the full story: click here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23613160/

Moms Who Stop Smoking Have Happier Babies

Reuters reported on March 12 that mothers who stop smoking while pregnant tend to have cheerier, more adaptable babies, British researchers reported on Wednesday. Babies of women who continued to smoke while pregnant were notably grumpy, and the researchers believe that mothers who can muster the effort to kick the habit are also caring more for their babies in other ways. Babies of non-smokers also more temperamental than babies born to quitters, the researchers found â€" which they said suggested that mothers who suspend smoking are doing something special.
For the full story: click here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23600291/

Secondhand Smoke Hikes Tots' Risk of Heart Disease..

US News & World Report reported on March 13 that secondhand smoke causes signs of cardiovascular damage in children, especially the very youngest, new research contends. The findings, which focused on children from 2 to 14 years old, showed that environmental tobacco exposure (second-hand smoke) caused increased markers of inflammation and signs of vascular injury, suggesting an increased risk of heart disease. The youngest children appeared to be more affected than teens.
For the full story: click here.
http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/healthday/080313/secondhand-smoke-hikes-tots-risk-of-heart-disease.htm

Acid-Blocking Therapy in Pregnancy Increases Infant's Asthma Risk

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters Health) Mar 18 - Acid-blocking therapy during pregnancy increases the risk of asthma in the infant by more than 50%, researchers reported here during a late-breaking clinical trials session at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology."This was seen with asthma only," Dr. Yen told meeting attendees. There was no increase in risk of other allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, food allergies, allergic rhinitis or "unspecified allergic reactions or anaphylaxis."

Sublingual immunotherapy effective for bee sting and peanuts.

March 18, 2008 (Philadelphia) — Immunity against potentially fatal allergies to honeybee stings or peanuts can be achieved without years of painful injections, and possibly without the need for office visits.
Two studies presented here at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 2008 Annual Meeting — one using sublingual immunotherapy for induction of immunity to honeybee stings, the other using the oral route to induce immunity to peanuts — showed safety and efficacy.
Sublingual immunotherapy works against asthma, atopic dermatitis, rubber latex, and other allergies. It has been first time tested against bee sting and peanuts.
For full story click here:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/571614?sssdmh=dm1.340987&src=nlconfnews&spon=38&uac=

Asthma Patients Should Not Take Drug Holiday From Maintenance Therapy

March 18, 2008 (Philadelphia) — Not taking a summer break from maintenance therapy with fluticasone propionate/salmeterol inhalation therapy will help prevent the autumn increase of hospital admissions and visits to the emergency department (ED) for asthma attacks.
Researchers reported here at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 2008 Annual Meeting that children and young adults account for a large number of these fall hospital visits.
For full story click here:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/571616?sssdmh=dm1.340987&src=nlconfnews&spon=38&uac=

Welcome to Asthma Blog

2007-01-11T19:52:00Z

Welcome to asthma blog. also visit our site www.asthmahelpline.com. Here you will find treasure of information about asthma.

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