Asthma Treatment and Symptoms

US Born Blacks More Susceptible To Developing Asthma

ruzik_tuzik — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:04:35 -0600

Blacks born in the U.S. are nearly three times more likely than blacks born outside of the U.S. to have asthma, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of Asthma, Boston Globe reports. The study, led by Tufts University researcher Doug Brugge, was conducted in response to a request from parents in Dorchester, Mass., who were concerned about a high number of asthma cases in their community, according to the Globe.

Advair's Patient Share In Newly Diagnosed Asthma Patients Declines

ruzik_tuzik — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:49:40 -0600

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that patient share for GlaxoSmithKline's Advair is declining in all lines of therapy for newly diagnosed asthma patients.

Asthma May Be Over-Diagnosed

ruzik_tuzik — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:38:10 -0600

A new research study suggests that asthma may be over-diagnosed by up to 30 per cent in Canadian adults. The study, led by Ottawa researcher Dr. Shawn Aaron, examined 496 people from eight Canadian cities who reported receiving a diagnosis of asthma from a physician. When the individuals were retested for asthma using the accepted clinical guidelines, it was found that 30 per cent had no evidence of asthma. Two thirds of these individuals were able to safely stop taking asthma medications. The results are published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Asthma Risk Higher In Babies Born During Fall

hareyan — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:11:03 -0600

In childbirth it seems that timing matters also for Asthma risk. Children have a higher risk of developing childhood asthma if they are born four months before the height of cold and flu season.

Blacks Tend To Have More Severe, Difficult-To-Treat Asthma

ruzik_tuzik — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:55:20 -0500

Genetics are likely a contributing factor behind generally higher asthma severity and poorer treatment response among blacks, according to a study in the September issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Reuters reports. For the research, Tmirah Haselkorn of Genentech and colleagues analyzed the Epidemiology and Natural History of Asthma: Outcomes and Treatment Regimens study, which included data on 1,885 white patients and 243 black patients.

Parent's High Expectations Positively Affect Children's Asthma Symptoms

hareyan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:16:23 -0500

Children with Asthma, whose parents have high expectations for their ability to function normally, are less likely to have symptoms than other children dealing with the condition, according to a new study. Children also are more likely to use asthma controller medications appropriately if they have a routine for taking medicine and if their parents clearly understand how well symptoms can be controlled.

Cells That Mediate Steroid-Resistant Asthma Identified

ruzik_tuzik — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:24:22 -0500

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC researchers have identified cells that may play a key role in some forms of steroid-resistant asthma, a complication of the condition that makes treatment even more challenging.

The identification of a lineage of cells known as T Helper Type 17 (Th17) may help scientists in the development of new treatments that lead to better control of asthma, according to the study’s senior author, Jay K. Kolls, MD, chief of the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy and Immunology at Children’s Hospital.

Monitoring Exhaled Nitric Oxide Does Not Help Manage Asthma

ruzik_tuzik — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:02:08 -0500

A new study shows that monitoring levels of exhaled nitric oxide in adolescents with asthma and adjusting treatment accordingly does not improve the course of their disease.

The study was conducted by the Inner City Asthma Consortium (ICAC), which is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Sept. 20 issue of The Lancet reports the ICAC findings.

Cells that mediate steroid-resistant asthma identified

hareyan — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:14:41 -0500

Findings offer promise for improved Asthma treatments and are published in the Journal of Immunology. Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC researchers have identified cells that may play a key role in some forms of steroid-resistant asthma, a complication of the condition that makes asthma treatment even more challenging.

Obese with asthma have nearly 5 times greater risk of hospitalization for asthma

hareyan — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:45:23 -0500

Obese people who have asthma are nearly five times more likely to be hospitalized for the condition than non-obese people with asthma, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the September issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.