Asthma News and Research

RSS

Asthma is a common inflammatory disease affecting the airways that leads to shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. Symptoms range from mild to severe but are generally manageable with appropriate treatment.

Many seasonal allergy sufferers take OTC products rather prescription medications

Anyone suffering with seasonal allergies knows the local pharmacy carries shelves full of over-the-counter medications to help manage symptoms. Unfortunately, most seasonal allergy sufferers take over-the counter (OTC) products rather than the treatments they actually prefer - prescription medications.

5 Nov 2015

Nucala (mepolizumab) approved for treatment of asthma patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Nucala (mepolizumab) for use with other asthma medicines for the maintenance treatment of asthma in patients age 12 years and older. Nucala is approved for patients who have a history of severe asthma attacks (exacerbations) despite receiving their current asthma medicines.

5 Nov 2015

SMU and University of Maryland researchers awarded NIH grant to combat pediatric asthma

A pair of SMU psychology professors working with University of Maryland engineers have been awarded a National Institutes of Health grant in October that will bring nearly $2 million to their joint project to create a wearable device for pediatric asthma patients that helps them avoid asthma triggers.

4 Nov 2015

International research project examines effectiveness of tried and tested medicines for different diseases

The Medical University of Vienna is coordinating an international research project, which investigates the effectiveness of tried and tested medicines for the treatment of some of the heaviest burdens of our modern society including diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. One molecule that these disorders have in common is a receptor known as the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), which is the molecular starting point of this project.

4 Nov 2015

Researchers find strong associations between hunger and poor health

It may come as a surprise that, even after the Great Recession ended in 2009, almost 50 million people in the United States are food insecure -- that is, they lack access to adequate food because of limited money or other resources. University of Illinois economist Craig Gundersen and University of Kentucky's James Ziliak examined recent research on food insecurity and its association with poor health and offer suggestions, including that doctors screen for hunger.

3 Nov 2015

In-home test kits help parents lower allergen levels in their homes

In-home test kits, coupled with patient education, help parents reduce allergen levels in their homes, according to scientists from the National Institutes of Health. The researchers found that parents may become more motivated to participate in allergen reduction interventions, when they can actually see results for themselves.

3 Nov 2015

Reptile food causes allergic reactions

Reptiles are often chosen as pets when an allergy risk exists within a family and the choice is made to avoid potentially allergenic pets such as dogs, cats or guinea pigs.

30 Oct 2015

Novartis announces FDA approval of dual combination bronchodilator Utibron Neohaler for COPD patients

Novartis announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved the dual combination bronchodilator Utibron Neohaler (indacaterol/glycopyrrolate) inhalation powder for the long-term maintenance treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema. It is not indicated to treat asthma or sudden symptoms of COPD.

30 Oct 2015

Researchers compare effectiveness of combination therapy for black patients with asthma

Among black adults with asthma treated with an inhaled corticosteroid, adding a long-acting beta-agonist did not improve the time to an asthma exacerbation compared with adding the anticholinergic tiotropium, according to a study in the October 27 issue of JAMA.

28 Oct 2015

Taking steps to prevent, protect against flu

With flu season approaching, parents may be bracing for an outbreak at their children's schools, but adults are also highly susceptible at work and in other public places. Now is the time for families and businesses to take steps to prevent and protect against the flu.

27 Oct 2015

Omedix to integrate Elsevier's Health Library into patient engagement platform

Omedix, a leader in convenient, cost-effective and user-friendly web solutions for medical practices, will integrate Elsevier's Health Library into its patient engagement platform. Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, developed the digital Health Library for patients and consumers featuring accurate, timely, easy-to-understand content on thousands of healthcare topics and issues.

22 Oct 2015

Mayo Clinic study analyzes asthma outcomes after patients step down daily medicines

Stepping down asthma medicines can be done safely and at less cost for patients says a new Mayo Clinic study published this week in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. It is common for patients and doctors to test out if taking less daily asthma medicine is safe — primarily because of the high cost of asthma medicine.

22 Oct 2015

Study shows green housing could reduce environmental exposures, improve health

Low-income housing residents who live in "green" buildings that are built with eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient features appear to have fewer "sick building" symptoms (SBS) than residents of traditionally constructed low-income housing, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

16 Oct 2015

Lack of patient understanding of the true cost of medication non-adherence

A new report released today, Friday 16th October, by Omnicell, throws the spotlight on the ‘missing millions’ in the NHS and the staggering cost to the nation of medication non-adherence.

16 Oct 2015

Tamoxifen drug clears MRSA, reduces mortality

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have found that the breast cancer drug tamoxifen gives white blood cells a boost, better enabling them to respond to, ensnare and kill bacteria in laboratory experiments. Tamoxifen treatment in mice also enhances clearance of the antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogen MRSA and reduces mortality.

13 Oct 2015

Researchers find protein that plays crucial role in development of allergic airway inflammation

Allergies are becoming more commonplace, particularly in industrialised coun-tries. In addition to hay fever, allergic asthma is currently considered to be one of the most widespread allergies. UFZ researchers and their colleagues from the University of Leipzig have recently been successful in finding a protein that plays a critical role in the development of allergic airway inflammation.

12 Oct 2015

UCSD researchers develop new microbiome analysis platform

The human microbiome -- the total collection of bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms living in and on your body -- has been linked to a variety of health and disease states, including obesity, allergies, asthma, and a rapidly growing list of other conditions. But as researchers try to sort out the complex relationship between microbial populations and human health and use that information to diagnose or treat disease, they are generating a deluge of microbial sequence data that first needs to be organized and analyzed.

8 Oct 2015

Immune submits Bertilimumab IND application to FDA for treatment of Bullous Pemphigoid

Immune Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has submitted an Investigational New Drug Application in the U.S. to expand recruiting for its first in class lead product candidate, Bertilimumab, for the treatment of Bullous Pemphigoid (BP).

7 Oct 2015

WHO and UNAIDS develop new standards to help countries improve quality of adolescent care

New Global Standards for quality health-care services for adolescents developed by WHO and UNAIDS aim to help countries improve the quality of adolescent health care.

6 Oct 2015

EU provides €3 million to support research on chronic lung disease

Researchers from Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry are part of an international consortium which has received funding of almost €3 million from the EU Horizon 2020 programme, to investigate methods to prevent, diagnose and treat non-communicable lung disease (such as asthma and chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder - COPD) in low and middle income countries.

5 Oct 2015