Asthma

Comprehensive care of post-9/11 asthma in adolescents should include management of mental health-related comorbidities, according to a recent report.

A new study of inner city schools found evidence that high levels of mouse allergens correlated with hindered lung function and an increase in sick days caused by asthma symptoms.

AerobiKa, a vibratory positive expiratory pressure device meant to reduce mucus plugging, “did not demonstrate statistical significance in terms of improved clinical asthma score or reduced hospitalization rate.”

Patients who discontinued long-term treatment with omalizumab (Xolair/Genentech and Novartis) were more likely to experience an episode of severe asthma exacerbation during a one-year monitoring period than those who continued the treatment, in a recent study to determine whether therapeutic effect persists after discontinuation.

A recent study found that Puerto Rican children who lived closer to major roadways exhibited higher levels of certain inflammation-related cytokines in their blood.

Children with severe, persistent asthma in Memphis, TN, suffer an extremely high rate of atopy, according to a recent study. Clearer understanding of this relationship would allow physicians to employ more personalized and effective interventions.

Recently, researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus discovered high doses of vitamin D helped older, long-term care residents reduce the risk of acute respiratory illness (ARI).

A new analysis of records from India and Vietnam has found a significant association between cesarean birth and childhood asthma. Studies of children born in wealthier countries have produced similar results.

Even patients on low- to medium-dose inhaled corticosteroids administered over a long period could be at risk for adrenal insufficiency.

Smoking is bad for everyone’s lungs – but it’s especially bad for people with asthma. So you would think that someone with the lung condition would steer clear of activities which can trigger an attack.

Not having access to fruits and vegetables puts children at higher risk for asthma, according to a new study.

One year after the November 2015 FDA approval of mepolizumab (Nucala, GlaxoSmithKline) to treat severe asthma with eosinophilic phenotype, a review considers how initial studies missed its effectiveness, the subsequent evidence that supported its utility, and possible future applications.

Living in a neighborhood with high rates of crime, both violent and crimes of property, appears linked to the prevalence and severity of childhood asthma, a study of Mexican American children in Chicago found.

In a study of young adults who had confirmed respiratory infections, US military hospital researchers found the women reported more severe and longer lasting illness than the men.

The US is obsessed with eliminating odors, but a survey showed that trend may be unhealthy.

The so-called “hygiene hypothesis” holds that lack of exposure has made developed populations more allergic and asthmatic. Though using exposure shows promise as a preemptive approach to reducing risk for allergen-induced asthma, the window for its implementation is small.

The researchers report that the results of this study “confirmed the rapid and sustained effectiveness of MP-AzeFlu under conditions of routine care around Europe.”

Leukotriene B4 levels are higher in the sputum of some asthma patients than in others, according to the results of a recent study.

Both albuterol multidose dry powder inhaler (MDPI) and albuterol hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) outperformed placebo in a recent phase II trial.

Recommendations that children with asthma not get live attenuated flu vaccine may not be necessary, researchers found.

Hookworms aren't the common affliction that they once were, at least in the developed world, but asthma prevalence is growing. A new study winks at a correlation, suggesting that a protein in the pesky parasites may treat asthma.

The technologies of texting, phone apps, and social media are being applied to asthma self-management programs for adolescents to enhance adherence to medication and effective response to symptoms.

According to a recently published review, development is proceeding on vaccines that hope to prevent or mitigate asthma, with several approaches advancing to clinical trial.

“With the development of monoclonal antibodies that neutralize specific cytokines and the aid of biomarkers, new avenues for the treatment of asthma have been explored.”

Metered dose inhalers with a dose counter integrated could reduce the number of visits to emergency departments.

Researchers believe new therapeutic options, including tiotropium, will emerge to help doctors and patients improve the management of asthma.

A study presented at CHEST 2016 in Los Angeles found that home visits made to non-compliant asthmatics or those with uncontrolled symptoms drastically increased their adherence to treatment and regular office visits in the following year.

The researchers found that those whose fathers smoked prior to their conception were at a three times greater risk of developing non-allergic early onset asthma. Welding was also implicated.

The results of two recent phase 3 trials of a new biologic show that it has significant impact as an add-on treatment in reducing exacerbation rates in patients with severe and uncontrolled asthma.

During a pediatric asthma attack physicians rely on intravenous aminophylline. A UK study questions whether the dosing regimens have been properly researched and calls for studies that better define therapeutic ranges.