Pediatric researchers have identified a novel gene involved in childhood asthma, in one of the largest gene studies to date of the common respiratory disease. Because the gene, called DENND1B, affects cells and signaling molecules thought to be important in the aberrant immune system response seen in asthma, the discovery may suggest a new therapeutic target.
Parenting expert Jo Frost instructs and inspires many beleaguered parents on her hit ABC show, “Supernanny.” Now she brings her trademark no-nonsense advice and indomitable spirit to help guide parents of children with asthma and other respiratory conditions in a new exclusive interview with Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA)’s Allergy & Asthma Today magazine.
Asthmatic smokers may be able to reverse some of the damage to their lungs that exacerbates asthmatic symptoms just by putting down their cigarettes, according to research out of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
A few home visits by a health care specialist to educate children with asthma about basic strategies for earlier symptom recognition and improving medication use can lead to fewer flare-ups and less frequent trips to the ER, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center published in the December issue of Pediatrics.
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found that informed adults can help families stave off complications associated with asthma. The findings, available online and in the December issue of Pediatrics, suggest that interventions by parent mentors – caregivers of asthmatic children who have received specialized topical training – can effectively reduce wheezing, asthma attacks, emergency room visits and missed adult workdays.
Exposure shortly after birth to ambient metals from fuel oil combustion and particles from diesel emissions is associated with respiratory symptoms in young inner-city children, according to a new study by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
Children who are exposed to high levels of traffic-related pollution and high levels of indoor endotoxin early in life have six times the risk of developing persistent wheezing by age three than children exposed to low levels of traffic and indoor-related pollutants, according to new research from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins and their colleagues have developed sugar-coated polymer strands that selectively kill off cells involved in triggering aggressive allergy and asthma attacks. Their advance is a significant step toward crafting pharmaceuticals to fight these often life-endangering conditions in a new way.
Maternal depression can worsen asthma symptoms in their children, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center published online in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology.
As flu season got underway this fall, Dr. Catherine Monteleone, an allergist, noticed that her office started to receive an unusually high number of calls from people with egg allergy. They previously had avoided flu vaccines because of their sensitivity to eggs. This year, with all the attention being paid to the novel H1N1 influenza, those patients want to be protected against flu, and they contacted her to find out if they are candidates for inoculation.
Occupational contact dermatitis and asthma are two of the most common work-related health issues facing workers worldwide say experts. The reaction can be allergic or caused by irritation. There is crossover between industries related to a high incidence of contact dermatitis and jobs linked to occupational asthma.
The treatment of allergic rhinitis is shown to improve co-existing conditions including conjunctivitis, asthma, sinusitis, otitis media with effusion (fluid in the middle ear) and sleep disorders. An estimated 50 million people in the United States suffer from allergic rhinitis and it is the most prevalent chronic condition in patients under age 18.
Tobacco smoke is involved in uncontrolled asthma, a diminished response to anti-asthma drugs, rhinitis, nasal obstruction, and deregulation of the immune system. Active smoking also causes changes in inflammation in asthma patients, diminishes their response to anti-asthma drugs, and has been found to induce nasal obstruction and decreased mucociliary clearance.
Damp environments, poorly maintained heating and air-conditioning systems and carpeting may contribute to poor indoor air quality, according to experts. Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, where they are repeatedly exposed to indoor allergens and airborne particles that can lead to respiratory symptoms and conditions.
Investigators discover cellular mechanisms that may impact the decline of both innate and adaptive immune functions that increase the susceptibility to various infectious agents, cancer and diseases in the elderly say experts.
Researchers are unveiling new data on investigational findings in nearly 450 abstracts on the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases. Key studies focus on anaphylaxis, nasal saline irrigation, egg allergy, new treatment for hereditary angioedema and a food allergy survey of school nurses.
While progress has been made in identifying 39 genes potentially associated with asthma, the disease is complex, and its development is likely dependent upon both genetics and environmental exposures.
Asthma Insight and Management (AIM), the largest and most comprehensive survey of asthma in the United States conducted in more than a decade, reveals limited progress in reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits due to asthma over the past ten years.
Less restrictive dietary options, better detection, targeted avoidance measures, educational directives and potential new therapies are improving food allergy management and giving hope to the more than 12 million Americans affected according to experts at the XIII International Food Allergy Symposium.
Flu shots can be given to patients with egg sensitivity if the proper procedure is followed. A food allergy expert at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, presents a novel way to classify children and adults as to their risks and suggests procedures for administering the vaccines.
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