Asthma News and Research

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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.

3 million U.S. children have food or digestive allergies

The number of young people who had a food or digestive allergy increased 18 percent between 1997 and 2007, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2007, approximately 3 million U.S. children and teenagers under age 18 -- or nearly 4 percent of that age group -- were reported to have a food or digestive allergy in the previous 12 months, compared to just over 2.3 million (3.3 percent) in 1997.

22 Oct 2008

Australia's asthma mortality rate one of the highest in the world

A new report has revealed that more people die from asthma in Australia than in Europe and says Australia's asthma mortality rates are one of the highest in the world - three times higher than in Europe but less than in New Zealand and the UK.

20 Oct 2008

Chronic disease keeping older Australians out of the workforce

Chronic diseases such as diabetes and arthritis may be keeping more than 660,000 older Australians out of the workforce, Sydney University academics have found.

20 Oct 2008

Health care questions we want to hear answered tonight

How does a $5000 tax credit help when the average family health care plan now costs more than $12,500/year, and how are working families expected to pay the difference?

15 Oct 2008

Discovery of two novel gene locations that raise risk of type 1 diabetes

Genetics researchers have identified two novel gene locations that raise the risk of type 1 diabetes. As they continue to reveal pieces of the complicated genetic puzzle for this disease, the researchers expect to improve predictive tests and devise preventive strategies.

14 Oct 2008

Breast is best in fight against childhood asthma

A University of Sunderland academic has discovered a link between breast feeding and a lower incidence in asthma in young children.

14 Oct 2008

Steroids aid recovery from pneumonia, UT Southwestern researchers say

Adding corticosteroids to traditional antimicrobial therapy might help people with pneumonia recover more quickly than with antibiotics alone, UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have found.

14 Oct 2008

Painkillers found to reduce breast cancer risk

According to an international study the regular use of popular painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen reduces the risk of breast cancer.

12 Oct 2008

Helicobacter pylori may help prevent adenocarcinoma, esophageal cancers

Some bacteria may help protect against the development of a type of esophageal cancer, known as adenocarcinoma, according to a new review of the medical literature. These bacteria, which are called Helicobacter pylori, live in the stomachs of humans.

6 Oct 2008

Parents' expectations influence children's asthma

According to new research children with asthma whose parents have high expectations for their ability to function normally, are less likely to have symptoms than other children dealing with the condition.

6 Oct 2008

Breast is best - the secrets of breast milk

Scientists unraveling the composition of human breast milk say it may lead to new ways to prevent and treat stomach illnesses and other diseases in babies and adults.

29 Sep 2008

Breast feeding lowers breast cancer risk

Experts say women who breastfeed for a year over the course of their lifetime are less likely to develop breast cancer.

29 Sep 2008

Study of 'Big Eaters' could lead to better asthma treatments

A new study into the role of a particular immune cell in the lungs could lead to better treatments for the 5 million people in the UK affected by asthma.

23 Sep 2008

Exposure to bacteria might prevent type I diabetes

Researchers from Yale University and the University of Chicago have found a startling illustration of the potential for microbes to prevent disease - they found that mice exposed to common stomach bacteria were protected against the development of type I diabetes.

22 Sep 2008

Paracetamol-based medicines linked to asthma in children

A large international study has discovered a strong link between infant exposure to paracetamol and the development of asthma and other allergic conditions such as eczema.

22 Sep 2008

Pharmacy benefits managers promote low-cost generics, adherence to drug plans

Pharmacy benefits managers have begun offering tools to help consumers find low-cost generic drugs, adhere to drug regimens and increase consumer choice, all of which can help increase profit margins, the Wall Street Journal reports.

22 Sep 2008

Health effects of 9/11 still evident seven years later

A report on the health of New Yorkers after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 has revealed that more than 400,000 people in New York City were significantly affected.

11 Sep 2008

Risk assessment tool finds that blacks with breathing conditions have higher risk for developing lung cancer than whites

Blacks with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease -- including chronic bronchitis and some types of serious chronic asthma -- have a risk for developing lung cancer about twice as high as that of whites with the condition, according to a study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, Reuters reports.

10 Sep 2008

New drug promises once-a-day treatment for asthma and hay fever

The drug RPL554 apparently has the potential to effectively treat the respiratory diseases but without many of the side-effects most currently available drugs produce.

10 Sep 2008