Study points to key genetic driver of severe allergic asthma

CINCINNATI – Scientists have identified a genetic basis for determining the severity of allergic asthma in experimental models of the disease.

The study may help in the search for future therapeutic strategies to fight a growing medical problem that currently lacks effective treatments, researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center report in the Aug. 29 Nature Immunology.

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More detailed picture of asthma may yield dramatically improved treatment

GALVESTON, Texas — For many people afflicted by asthma, treatment can be a frustrating and time-consuming experience. After their initial diagnosis, asthmatics find themselves caught in a trial and error process that can last for months, as doctors gradually escalate their medications to treat their condition effectively with minimal side effects. And until the right medicine and dosage are found, patients continue to suffer attacks that strike without warning and can leave them struggling for breath for hours or even days.

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Asthma and eczema sufferers have a lower risk of developing a cancer

Men who had a history of asthma or eczema generally had a lower risk of developing cancer, according to a study carried out by researchers at INRS–Institut Armand-Frappier, the Research Centre of the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, and McGill University. The findings, published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, show that male eczema sufferers had a lower risk of lung cancer while those with a history of asthma had a similar effect in relation to stomach cancer.

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Experimental nonsteroidal treatment of asthma shows promise

A new nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory therapy made from a human protein significantly decreases disease signs of asthma in mice, opening the possibility of a new asthma therapy for patients who do not respond to current steroid treatments. Results of this therapy in an animal model were presented at The Endocrine Society’s 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.

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Moldy homes a serious risk for severe asthma attacks in some

Exposure to high levels of fungus may increase the risk of severe asthma attacks among people with certain chitinase gene variants, according to a study from Harvard Medical School, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

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Model demonstrates infectious cause of asthma

Contact: Garth Hogan
ghogan@asmusa.org
American Society for Microbiology
SAN DIEGO, CA – May 24, 2010 — Scientists from the University of Massachusetts have developed an animal model that shows how an early childhood lung infection can cause asthma later in life. They present their data today at the 110th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in San Diego.

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Internet monitoring strategy for severe asthma patients shown to be effective

Contact: Keely Savoie
ksavoie@thoracic.org
212-315-8620
American Thoracic Society
ATS 2010, NEW ORLEANS— Patients with severe asthma who use an internet-supported strategy and daily monitoring of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) were able to control their asthma with lower overall dosing of oral corticosteroids (OCS) than patients who underwent usual care, according to research from the Netherlands.

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High-fat meals a no-no for asthma patients

Contact: Keely Savoie
ksavoie@thoracic.org
212-315-8620
American Thoracic Society
ATS 2010, NEW ORLEANS— People with asthma may be well-advised to avoid heavy, high-fat meals, according to new research. Individuals with asthma who consumed a high-fat meal showed increased airway inflammation just hours after the binge, according to Australian researchers who conducted the study. The high fat meal also appeared to inhibit the response to the asthma reliever medication Ventolin (albuterol).

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Eliminating the source of asthma-causing immune molecules

Contact: Karen Honey
press_releases@the-jci.org
734-546-5242
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Asthma and other allergic diseases are caused by inappropriate immune responses. Soluble IgE molecules, produced by immune cells known as B cells, are key immune mediators of these diseases. Therapeutic targeting of IgE in the blood can neutralize its effects and is an effective treatment for moderate-to-severe allergic asthma. However, this approach does not halt IgE production and patients need to be treated repeatedly. But now, a team of researchers, at Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, has developed a way to specifically eliminate IgE-producing B cells, providing a potential new long-lasting therapeutic approach to treating asthma and other allergic diseases.

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Comprehensive asthma care keeps kids out of the hospital

Contact: Susan Martin
ssmartin@aap.org
847-434-7877
American Academy of Pediatrics Read more

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