Allergy

Some dogs may cause fewer allergic symptoms than others, but there are no hypoallergenic dog breeds. Pet allergies are typically due to proteins found in the saliva and urine of dogs and cats which stick to their dead flakes of skin (animal dander). Some dog breeds that are marketed as hypoallergenic may shed less than other breeds, and therefore less of their allergy-causing dander is released into the air or on the floor than breeds that shed more. However, no dog breeds are truly hypoallergenic.

Source: AAAAI

Childhood asthma is a scary healthy issue, for both child and parents alike. While proper diagnosis and treatment can help keep the condition from spiralling out of control, frequent asthma-related trips to the emergency room are a fact of life for many. An estimated 9 million children in the U.S. are affected by asthma, a condition brought on by food and air-borne allergens. Finding and controlling the triggers for asthma attacks is a priority, and a team of researchers from Glasgow University of Scotland now believe that the incidence of asthma is directly reflected in the number of hours young children watch TV each day.

April 23, 2007 -- A stomach bacterium that causes ulcers and is linked to stomach cancer may make asthma less likely.

That news appears in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The bacterium is called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). It is associated with ulcers and increased risk of stomach cancer.

H. pylori is found worldwide, but it's more common in developing countries, note Yu Chen, PhD, MPH, and Martin Blaser, MD.

by Erwin W. Gelfand, MD

Patients with severe and refractory asthma suffer from numerous complications, fatal disease, and utilize a large proportion of healthcare resources. Treatment options are certainly limited, and it is unclear what underlies their refractoriness to conventional therapy. Whether they are "resistant" to therapy with glucocorticoids or the pathophysiologic pathways involved in their disease are not sensitive to glucocorticoids is unclear at present.

Some phenotypic differences in patients with refractory asthma have emerged, such as a greater involvement of neutrophils, but the relevance of these data are not clear. Among the candidates identified as perhaps playing a role in refractory asthma is tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a pleiotropic inflammatory cytokine that is expressed in mast cells^[1] and is present in higher concentrations in bronchoalveolar fluid from patients with asthma, particularly in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from patients with more severe asthma.^[2]

Medinose heralds a breakthrough in the way hayfever and allergies are treated. Using photo therapy (light therapy) Medinose can practically eliminate allergic symptoms such as congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, and headaches within a couple of weeks of use.

Using photo therapy, Medinose inhibits the release of histamine, relieving or even completely eliminating allergic reactions and complaints in a natural way. The body is not burdened by drugs and Medinose has no side effects. Medinose consists of a small power pack (about the size of an IPOD) and two probes which are inserted into the nostrils.

Each treatment session with the Medinose takes just approx. 4.5 minutes 2-3 times a day. The Medinose can be used anywhere: at home, on the move or at work. With severe symptoms, treatment can be repeated several times without any side effects. As soon as the symptoms subside, the number of treatments can be reduced. The Medinose is, however, also suitable for prevention.

An intravenous infusion of a solution of sodium bicarbonate -- better known as baking soda -- reduces respiratory distress and excessive acidity of body fluids in children with a life-threatening asthma flare-up, according to a report from the Netherlands.

High blood acidity, or acidosis, causes the heart to contract less strongly, reduces the effectiveness of beta-agonist bronchodilators used to treat asthma, and may stimulate rapid, shallow breathing, Dr. Corinne M. P. Buysse and her colleagues point out in the medical journal Chest.

They explain that treatment with sodium bicarbonate has been shown to relieve bronchial spasm and restore the response to bronchodilators. However, doctors have avoided the use of intravenous sodium bicarbonate for fear of increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the blood.

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- A survey of more than 1,500 allergic rhinitis sufferers who have used a prescription nasal spray to treat their symptoms revealed that device and formulation-related attributes were the major causes of discontinuing their treatment. The survey data (poster #896) were presented today at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

"These results suggest compliance among nasal spray users could improve if new technology overcomes the key barriers to continued use identified by these patients," said Eli Meltzer, M.D., co-director of the Allergy & Asthma Medical Group and Research Center in San Diego, Calif., who led the survey. "This is important because nasal sprays, specifically intranasal corticosteroids, are considered by medical experts as first-line therapy when congestion is a major component of the patient's nasal allergy symptoms." 

Small doses of peanut protein, given for months under medical supervision, can desensitize children with peanut allergy, reducing the risk of a reaction if they accidentally eat peanuts, according to a new study.

In other new research, scientists say they have found a way to predict which children are likely to outgrow their allergy to peanuts.

Both studies were presented Saturday at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in San Diego.

Scientists have identified a gene that could lead to a breakthrough in the treatment of asthma, with tablets replacing steroid inhalers.

As a result of work carried out at Dundee University, researchers believe that drugs currently used to treat diabetes could be adapted to control acute asthma attacks.

Until now asthma treatments have been dominated by steroid therapies which can often have serious side effects.

A study led by Adnan Custovic from the University of Manchester analyzing two surveys ten years apart (1993 and 2003) among 9-16 yr old schoolchildren attending urban and rural schools in Ghana showed that the prevalence of both exercise-induced bronchospasm and atopy had approximately doubled over the period.

A related essay puts this survey into context through a discussion of the epidemiology of asthma in Africa.

Citation: Addo-Yobo EOD, Woodcock A, Allotey A, Baffoe-Bonnie B, Strachan D, et al. (2007) Exercise-induced bronchospasm and atopy in Ghana: Two surveys ten years apart. PLoS Med 4(2): e70.