Advances in Asthma Research
Several advances in understanding asthma were presented on March 4th at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) in Miami Beach. Here are some highlights.
Role of vitamin D during pregnancy
Pregnant women who have a higher intake of vitamin D may decrease the risk for asthma in their offspring during early childhood, according to new research presented by Carlos Camargo Jr., MD, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, and colleagues
The study noted vitamin D deficiency and asthma are common in the northeastern part of the United States and although vitamin D is important for the immune system, its affect on asthma was unknown.
Information was gathered from Project Viva participants and tracked how much vitamin D mothers had during pregnancy, and found that an increase in vitamin D was associated with a lower childhood risk of wheezing or doctor- diagnosed asthma. The study noted follow-up would be needed to see if the lower risk continued as the children grew older.
Maternal asthma is a risk factor for prematurity and low birth weight
Maternal asthma is a risk factor for prematurity and low birth weight, according to new research presented by Joel J. Liem, MD, and colleagues from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, who used information from the Manitoba Health Services Insurance Plan, a health care and prescription database which has records of every child born in the province of Manitoba, and that of their mothers, to conduct the research. Mothers diagnosed with asthma between 1990-1995 or at least one prescription of asthma medication in 1995 were studied.
There were 13,980 children born in 1995, with 10.4% of the mothers suffering from maternal asthma. The research showed that mothers who suffered from asthma were more likely (2.77 times on average) to have a baby born at less than 28 weeks gestation, and 3.04 times more likely to have a baby born at less than 32 weeks gestation than a non asthmatic mother.
Early life exposure to maternal stress associated with asthma
Exposure to maternal stress early in life can lead to the development of asthma, according to research presented by Anita L. Kozyrskyj, PhD, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, and colleagues, who used Manitoba's health care database records to determine which children had developed asthma by 7 years old on the basis of health care visits for asthma or prescriptions for asthma prescription drugs. Maternal stress was defined as physician visits for depression and anxiety, or antidepressant prescriptions.
Analyses of the children took place at 1, 4, and 7 years of age. Of the 13,980 children born in Manitoba in 1995, 19% were exposed to maternal stress during the first year of life. This exposure to stress increased the likelihood of asthma, according to the study. Eleven percent of the children were re-exposed to maternal stress by age 7 and 8% were re-exposed at age 4 and 7 years. Re-exposure to maternal stress by age 7 increased the likelihood of asthma, and the risk increased with repeated exposure to maternal stress, concluded the study.
Measuring children's asthma medication adherence continues to be difficult
Accurately recording if children take their asthma medication is an ongoing challenge, according to a new study presented by Bruce Bender, MD, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, CO, and colleagues who used 3 different methods to observe adherence over 4 months in 131 asthmatic children requiring daily medication. One in 4 children used less than 25% of their medication, and 58% used less than half. Each of the 3 ways to measure if the children were taking their medications produced different challenges and errors, according to the study.
The study concluded that poor medication adherence in this study group establishes once again that non-adherence remains a major barrier to successful treatment, and also added there isn't a definitive way to measure adherence.
Intermittent asthma accounts for a substantial portion of asthma-related emergency department visits
Patients with intermittent asthma account for a substantial portion of asthma-related emergency department visits, according to findings presented by Robert T. Hsu, MD, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, and colleagues who analyzed pharmacy and diagnostic coding records from 202 adults ages 19 to 85 that were treated for asthma in the emergency department from April-July 2002.
Subjects were classified by asthma severity based on 2001- 2002 pharmacy records and emergency department visits for asthma. The study concluded that of 180 total visits for asthma, 48% occurred in patients with intermittent asthma (less than 4 asthma prescriptions in the past year). In addition, when the sub-group was analyzed, 40% of the patients needed no medications and 36% of the patients had required neither controller nor reliever medications in the year before the emergency department visit.
The AAAAI is the largest professional medical specialty organization in the United States representing allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with special interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease.
Allergy/immunology specialists are pediatric or internal medicine physicians who have elected an additional two years of training to become specialized in the treatment of asthma, allergy and immunologic disease. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 6,300 members in the United States, Canada and 60 other countries. The AAAAI serves as an advocate for the public by providing educational information through its Web site http://www.aaaai.org/ , and its Physician Referral and Information Line at (800) 822-2762.
Role of vitamin D during pregnancy
Pregnant women who have a higher intake of vitamin D may decrease the risk for asthma in their offspring during early childhood, according to new research presented by Carlos Camargo Jr., MD, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, and colleagues
The study noted vitamin D deficiency and asthma are common in the northeastern part of the United States and although vitamin D is important for the immune system, its affect on asthma was unknown.
Information was gathered from Project Viva participants and tracked how much vitamin D mothers had during pregnancy, and found that an increase in vitamin D was associated with a lower childhood risk of wheezing or doctor- diagnosed asthma. The study noted follow-up would be needed to see if the lower risk continued as the children grew older.
Maternal asthma is a risk factor for prematurity and low birth weight
Maternal asthma is a risk factor for prematurity and low birth weight, according to new research presented by Joel J. Liem, MD, and colleagues from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, who used information from the Manitoba Health Services Insurance Plan, a health care and prescription database which has records of every child born in the province of Manitoba, and that of their mothers, to conduct the research. Mothers diagnosed with asthma between 1990-1995 or at least one prescription of asthma medication in 1995 were studied.
There were 13,980 children born in 1995, with 10.4% of the mothers suffering from maternal asthma. The research showed that mothers who suffered from asthma were more likely (2.77 times on average) to have a baby born at less than 28 weeks gestation, and 3.04 times more likely to have a baby born at less than 32 weeks gestation than a non asthmatic mother.
Early life exposure to maternal stress associated with asthma
Exposure to maternal stress early in life can lead to the development of asthma, according to research presented by Anita L. Kozyrskyj, PhD, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, and colleagues, who used Manitoba's health care database records to determine which children had developed asthma by 7 years old on the basis of health care visits for asthma or prescriptions for asthma prescription drugs. Maternal stress was defined as physician visits for depression and anxiety, or antidepressant prescriptions.
Analyses of the children took place at 1, 4, and 7 years of age. Of the 13,980 children born in Manitoba in 1995, 19% were exposed to maternal stress during the first year of life. This exposure to stress increased the likelihood of asthma, according to the study. Eleven percent of the children were re-exposed to maternal stress by age 7 and 8% were re-exposed at age 4 and 7 years. Re-exposure to maternal stress by age 7 increased the likelihood of asthma, and the risk increased with repeated exposure to maternal stress, concluded the study.
Measuring children's asthma medication adherence continues to be difficult
Accurately recording if children take their asthma medication is an ongoing challenge, according to a new study presented by Bruce Bender, MD, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, CO, and colleagues who used 3 different methods to observe adherence over 4 months in 131 asthmatic children requiring daily medication. One in 4 children used less than 25% of their medication, and 58% used less than half. Each of the 3 ways to measure if the children were taking their medications produced different challenges and errors, according to the study.
The study concluded that poor medication adherence in this study group establishes once again that non-adherence remains a major barrier to successful treatment, and also added there isn't a definitive way to measure adherence.
Intermittent asthma accounts for a substantial portion of asthma-related emergency department visits
Patients with intermittent asthma account for a substantial portion of asthma-related emergency department visits, according to findings presented by Robert T. Hsu, MD, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, and colleagues who analyzed pharmacy and diagnostic coding records from 202 adults ages 19 to 85 that were treated for asthma in the emergency department from April-July 2002.
Subjects were classified by asthma severity based on 2001- 2002 pharmacy records and emergency department visits for asthma. The study concluded that of 180 total visits for asthma, 48% occurred in patients with intermittent asthma (less than 4 asthma prescriptions in the past year). In addition, when the sub-group was analyzed, 40% of the patients needed no medications and 36% of the patients had required neither controller nor reliever medications in the year before the emergency department visit.
The AAAAI is the largest professional medical specialty organization in the United States representing allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with special interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease.
Allergy/immunology specialists are pediatric or internal medicine physicians who have elected an additional two years of training to become specialized in the treatment of asthma, allergy and immunologic disease. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 6,300 members in the United States, Canada and 60 other countries. The AAAAI serves as an advocate for the public by providing educational information through its Web site http://www.aaaai.org/ , and its Physician Referral and Information Line at (800) 822-2762.
posted by Dr Peter Tylee at
11:11 am
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