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.

Modifying your salt intake has the potential to prevent exercise-induced asthma

An Indiana University professor may have uncovered the mechanisms by which high-salt diets can trigger exercise-induced asthma, offering the most complete picture to date of how dietary factors can both aggravate and alleviate the symptoms of this common condition.

9 Jun 2005

Rheumatoid arthritis costs more to business and industry than almost any other disease

Speaking at a rheumatology congress in Vienna today (Thursday 9 June), USA experts estimated that RA costs employers over $4,000 more per person, per year.

9 Jun 2005

Omega-3 combined with propofol may lead to new drugs to treat breast cancer

Omega-3, the fatty acid found in oily fish, could be combined with a commonly used anesthetic to develop drugs to treat breast cancer, according to research published in the journal Breast Cancer Research.

8 Jun 2005

Study to improve symptom awareness

Asthma sufferers who have difficulty recognising the early warning signs of an attack are being targeted by a new RMIT University study.

6 Jun 2005

Statisticians learn how to analyze huge quantities of genetic data

In a conceptual breakthrough, a team of researchers led by statisticians at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has figured out how to analyze huge quantities of genetic data, surpassing the capabilities of traditional techniques and speeding the quest for understanding the genetic basis of complex diseases such as asthma and diabetes.

6 Jun 2005

Most doctors and patients misbelieve that a nebulizer is more effective than an inhaler for asthma

Battling a child’s asthma attack could be as simple as sliding a plastic tube onto the end of an inhaler, but many health-care providers don’t offer this option to parents, say University of Florida researchers, who are calling for change.

2 Jun 2005

Intervention program reduces asthma in children

An asthma intervention program applied during the first year of life significantly reduced the prevalence of asthma in high risk children at 7 years of age, according to a new study featured on the online version of the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (JACI). The JACI is the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

2 Jun 2005

Day care facilities were shown to be an important source for allergen exposure

Day care facilities were shown to be an important source for allergen exposure, according to a study featured on the online version of the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (JACI). The JACI is the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

2 Jun 2005

Day care facilities are a significant source for indoor allergens

Researchers studying day care facilities in the South have found the facilities to be a significant source for indoor allergen levels. A new study of 89 day care settings in two central North Carolina counties found detectable levels of seven common allergens from fungus, cats, cockroaches, dogs, dust mites, and mice in each facility tested. The levels were similar to those found in Southern homes.

1 Jun 2005

Hybridon collaborates to develop immune modulatory (IMO) compounds for asthma and allergy

Hybridon today announced it had entered into research collaboration and license agreements with Novartis for the discovery, optimization, development and commercialization of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) drug candidates targeting asthma and allergy based on Hybridon's proprietary immune modulatory oligonucleotide (IMO) technology platform.

1 Jun 2005

Targepeutics issued new U.S patent

Targepeutics has announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 6,884,603 for its genetically modified, mutated Interleukin 13 (IL-13) technology platform for the treatment of malignant glioma, a brain tumor (17,500 people annually; $200 million annual market).

31 May 2005

Research will benefit inhaler-users

Patients suffering from conditions as diverse as asthma and diabetes could benefit from research at Cardiff University to improve the effectiveness of drugs taken through spray inhalers.

30 May 2005

Allergies may be linked to irregular periods

New research is suggesting a there is possibly a link between allergic conditions such as asthma and hay fever and irregular periods.

29 May 2005

Is winter flu worse because of exercise-induced 'window of susceptibility'?

When you exercise or work outside in winter, that dry feeling at the back of your throat indicates the cold air has irritated your throat. Racehorses share a similar experience: exercising in below-freezing air causes mild airway injury.

26 May 2005

What is Sick Building Syndrome?

Science-based identification of mold and other causes of Sick Building Syndrome may improve its management, say plant pathologists with The American Phytopathological Society (APS).

26 May 2005

Breathing disorders during sleep are common among asthmatics

When asthmatics are awake, they can turn to their inhalers to open their airways. But when they sleep, many of them continue to struggle with breathing - and an understanding of their sleep-related problems may help doctors better diagnose and treat their patients' asthma, according to new University of Michigan Health System research.

26 May 2005