Rhinitis and Severe Asthma Go Together
Brazilian researchers found that individuals
who do not respond well to
asthma treatment also are more prone
to have moderate-to-severe rhinitis. To
investigate the correlation between the 2
conditions, the researchers studied 557
patients with severe asthma.
Overall, 31% had moderate-to-severe
rhinitis, 54% had mild rhinitis, and 15%
did not have the condition. The patients
with moderate-to-severe rhinitis were
>3 times as likely to visit the emergency
room during the year they were followed,
compared with other patients. The findings
also showed that patients were
almost 3 times as likely to show a <10%
improvement in asthma symptoms and
were >12 times as likely to have uncontrolled
asthma by the end of the study,
reported the researchers in the May 2008
issue of Allergy.
Birth Defects May Result from
Asthma During Pregnancy
A study, reported in the June 2008 issue
of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology,
found that uncontrolled asthma
during the first trimester of pregnancy significantly
increases the risk of birth defects
in babies. For the study, the researchers
analyzed >4300 pregnancies through
health care and pharmacy records.
The findings indicated that women
who had an asthma flare-up in the first
trimester
of pregnancy were 48% more
likely to have a baby with at least one
congenital defect, compared with mothers
with asthma
who did not experience
a flare-up during that time. The study
data indicated that the occurrence of
birth defects
among children of mothers
who experienced a flare-up was 12.8%,
compared with a rate of 8.9% for mothers
with better-controlled asthma.
Hitting the Road with
Allergies, Asthma
Summer travel for individuals with
asthma and allergy means more time
outdoors and increased exposure to
common
allergy and asthma triggers. The
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma &
Immunology recommends that patients
with allergic disease take the following
steps to ensure that their summer travel
is fun, not frustrating:
- Air out vehicles before a lengthy road trip and also travel with the windows rolled up
- Plan to drive in the early morning or late evening to avoid high midday air pollution levels and idling traffic
- When traveling by airplane, pack medications according to federal security regulations
- Request allergy-free hotel accommodations, which can include special rooms, pillows, and linens
- Visit an allergist/immunologist before the trip to discuss any treatment questions
Kids: Drink
Apple Juice
The results of a study, recently reported
in the European Respiratory Journal,
confirmed the link between apples and
lung health. A small study of 5- to 10-year-old
schoolchildren in the Greenwich area
of London found that children who drink
plenty of apple juice may be less likely to
develop asthma symptoms.
For the study, the parents of the children
were questioned about their child’s
fruit intake and any symptoms they experienced.
Although the researchers did
not find a correlation between apple juice
consumption and a lower risk of an
actual asthma diagnosis, the association
between
wheezing and drinking the juice
was quite compelling.
Wheezing is a key sign that a child is
at an increased risk of asthma, although
many with the symptoms are not eventually
diagnosed with the illness. The researchers
noted that the apple juice
involved did not have to be fresh apple
juice. Juices made from concentrate also
were effective.
Uncontrolled Asthma Prevalent in Adults, Kids
The Asthma USA survey showed that uncontrolled asthma
had significant medical consequences. Adults with uncontrolled
asthma were more prone to need treatment with oral
corticosteroids, visit the emergency room, or be hospitalized,
compared with patients with well-controlled asthma.
Children with uncontrolled asthma also were in the same
situation. Earlier studies have shown that uncontrolled asthma
can put patients at risk for increased asthma symptoms, sudden
asthma attacks, hospitalization, and even death.
The survey included >81,500 households that were assessed
using the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Of the >10,000 adults with
self-reported asthma taking the ACT, 41% had a score of 19 or
less, which indicates uncontrolled asthma. The survey also
examined scores from the Childhood Asthma Control Test and
ACT in >3000 children respondents between the ages of 4 and
17. The results indicated that 31% of the children with asthma
between the ages of 4 and 11 and 25% of those between the
ages of 12 and 17 did not have well-controlled asthma.
F A S T F A C T : Approximately 16.7 million physician office visits each year are attributed to allergic rhinitis.
