New national study links asthma to allergiesSeptember 28, 2007Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have found that more than 50 percent of the current asthma cases in the country can be attributed to allergies, with approximately 30 percent of those cases attributed to cat allergy. "It has long been debated whether people who develop asthma have a genetic propensity to develop allergies, or atopy," said Darryl C. Zeldin, M.D., a senior investigator at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). "This new research shows that 56.3 percent of asthma cases are attributed to atopy." Atopy is a condition that results from gene-environment interactions and can be measured by a positive skin test to allergens (or allergy causing substances in the environment). The study, available online today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, was conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, both parts of the NIH. The data come from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a nationally representative sample of the population of the United States. "Sensitization to cat appears to be a strong risk factor for asthma in this study," said Zeldin. Zeldin and his co-authors, however, point out that some research shows that exposure to cats, particularly early in life, may be a protective factor. "We are not advocating parents get rid of pets, but if you suspect that you or your child might have cat allergies or get asthmatic-like symptoms, you should consult with a physician about the best course of action for your family," added Zeldin. The NIH researchers looked at skin test data for ten allergens. A positive skin test reaction to cat allergens accounted for 29.3 percent of the asthma cases, followed by the fungus Alternaria at 21.1 percent and white oak at 20.9 percent. "Each of 10 allergen-specific skin tests was strongly associated with asthma; however, after adjustment by a variety of subject characteristics and all the allergens, only skin tests to cat, Alternaria and white oak were independently and positively associated with asthma," said Peter Gergen, M.D., M.P.H, of NIAID's Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation, a co-author on the paper. Other allergens tested include: Ragweed, dustmites, Russian thistle, Bermuda grass, peanuts, perennial rye and german cockroach. Approximately 10,500 individuals participated in the skin testing. During these tests, skin was exposed to allergy-causing substances (allergens) and a positive test was determined by the size of the reaction on the skin. "This study tells us that allergy is a major factor in asthma," Gergen said. "But this study also tells us is that there are many people who get asthma who don't have allergies. We need to do more research to understand what is causing the asthma that is not related to allergies." "This study confirms that the environment plays a major role in the development of asthma," said Zeldin. "Given the complexity of this disease it won't be easy, but if we can prevent, block or reverse atopy, we could reduce a large proportion of asthma cases." NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Asthma Current Events and Asthma News Articles Johns Hopkins researchers track down protein responsible for chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps A protein known to stimulate blood vessel growth has now been found to be responsible for the cell overgrowth in the development of polyps that characterize one of the most severe forms of sinusitis, a study by Johns Hopkins researchers suggests. Ancestry attracts, but love is blind People preferentially marry those with similar ancestry, but their decisions are not necessarily based on hair, eye or skin colour. Common plastics chemicals linked to ADHD symptoms Phthalates are important components of many consumer products, including toys, cleaning materials, plastics, and personal care items. Asthma a significant risk factor for complications in children with H1N1 A new study on pediatric H1N1 influenza admissions has found that asthma is a significant risk factor for severe disease in children with pandemic H1N1 compared with the seasonal flu. Mother's Depression a Risk Factor in Childhood Asthma Symptoms, Study Suggests Asthma symptoms can worsen in children with depressed mothers, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children's Center published online in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology. Sweet -- sugared polymer a new weapon against allergies and asthma Scientists at Johns Hopkins and their colleagues have developed sugar-coated polymer strands that selectively kill off cells involved in triggering aggressive allergy and asthma attacks. Pivotal study for PSD502 -- the first potential treatment for premature ejaculation At the annual meeting of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA), Inc. in San Diego, Sciele Pharma, Inc., a Shionogi Company and Plethora Solutions Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Plethora Solutions Holdings PLC ("Plethora" - AIM:PLE)., today presented data from its second positive pivotal study of PSD502 for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE). Aileron collaborates study in Nature: Stapled peptides inhibit Notch1 transcription factor This research validates the potential for Stapled Peptides to modulate key intracellular biological targets, such as transcription factors, that have not been addressable with current small molecule or biologic drug modalities. Women with asthma feel worse Women with asthma are more anxious, find it harder to sleep and are more tired during the day than their male counterparts, but nevertheless tend to be better at following their treatment. Poll: Many parents, high-priority adults who tried to get H1N1 vaccine unable to get it A new national poll from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that a majority of adults who tried to get the H1N1 vaccine for themselves or their children have been unable to do so. More Asthma Current Events and Asthma News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||