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Existing Health Programs Could Help More Kids With Asthma - AZCentral.com

Posted: 23 Feb 2010 03:57 PM PST

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WEDNESDAY, Feb. 24 (HealthDay News) -- The United States could lower the number of uninsured children with asthma by 75 percent by enrolling all those who are eligible for federally funded insurance programs and expanding eligibility, a new report suggests.

At the same time, the report notes health care for kids with asthma costs an average of 50 percent more than for other children.

"Childhood asthma presents one of the nation's starkest examples of what is wrong with the health-care system. Even as more than 1 million children with asthma lack coverage, the nation is squandering health-care dollars on costly treatment while missing key prevention opportunities," Sara Rosenbaum, chairwoman of the department of health policy at George Washington University and co-lead author of the report, said in a news release from the school.

"To date, the knowledge, programs and infrastructure America has amassed about childhood asthma is like an unassembled puzzle. We have the pieces; it's time that we put them together," Rosenbaum said.

The report stated that of the estimated 1.17 million children with asthma who aren't insured, there are 600,000 that are eligible, but haven't been enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP. In addition, 180,000 children aren't eligible for coverage but would be if the entire country expanded eligibility to the levels already in place in seven states (that level being 300 percent of the federal poverty level).

"The good news is that significant improvements in childhood asthma could result from better use of existing programs," Dr. Floyd Malveaux, former dean of the College of Medicine at Howard University, explained in the news release. "For those children most at risk, stable and continuous health insurance could lead to greater access to care, controlled health spending and improved overall health."

The report is funded by Merck Childhood Asthma Network, a non-profit group founded by a philanthropic arm of the Merck pharmaceutical company, and RCHN Community Health Foundation.

More information

The Nemours Foundation has details on kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/allergy/asthma.html " target="_new">asthma in children.

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Special Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) Supplement ... - Forbes

Posted: 26 Feb 2010 05:31 AM PST

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HORSHAM, Pa., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Increasing evidence supports the importance of small airways in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma; however, focused areas of discussion and critical review of this topic have been lacking. To foster a better understanding of the role of small airways in asthma management, Teva Respiratory, a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA), will be providing reprints of a special supplement entitled "Small Airway Involvement: A Key to Asthma" from the December issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology(JACI) at their exhibit (Booth #724) at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting being held Feb. 26-March 2, 2010 in New Orleans, La.

While there has been significant progress in the diagnosis of asthma, including prevention, education and treatment, asthma remains a major public health concern as millions of people still experience flare ups and miss school and work days as a result every year. Asthma at all levels of severity is the result of chronic inflammation in both the large and small airways, and if left untreated can result in permanent structure changes to the airways, whether patients are symptomatic or not.

Article Controls

The special JACI supplement provides a comprehensive scientific review of the emerging role of the small airways in the understanding and treatment of asthma, a key topic being discussed at the Annual Meeting. This publication represents the first time leading researchers from various institutions in the U.S. and Canada have organized information surrounding the small airways in asthma to set a benchmark for additional discussion and future research in this area.

"It is important for both patients and physicians to have a clear understanding of the role of the small airways in the pathology of asthma," said study author Richard J. Martin, MD, Chairman, Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health in Denver, Colo. "Poorly controlled inflammation in the small airways may exacerbate asthma symptoms, such as coughing and shortness of breath, which may lead to an asthma attack or need to seek emergency care. Physicians should consider an inhaled corticosteroid controller medication with a small particle size that delivers medication to both the large and small airways."

The below chart highlights the four articles included in the JACI supplement that were developed following the April 2009 symposium at which leading asthma specialists discussed various aspects surrounding the importance of small airways in asthma management*:

Article Title Key Highlights -- The Importance and -- The small airways play an important Features of the Distal role in the pathology of asthma Airways in Children and -- Inflammation of small airways may Adults (E. W. Gelfand and exacerbate asthma, contribute to an M. Kraft) accelerated decline in lung function and promote airway remodeling -- Anatomy, Pathology, and -- Airway inflammation and remodeling that Physiology of the characterize asthma occur in the small Tracheobronchial Tree: airways Emphasis on the Distal -- Small airways are an important target Airways (D. M. Hyde, Q. for asthma therapy Hamid and C. G. Irvin) -- Particle Size of -- HFA solution metered-dose inhalers, Inhaled Corticosteroids: such as QVAR(R) (beclomethasone Does it Matter? (C. dipropionate HFA) Inhalation Aerosol, Leach, G. L. Colice and produce small particles that are able to A. Luskin) reach and treat the large and small airways -- Most inhaled medications do not reach the small airways where many of the pathological changes in asthma may occur -- Imaging of the Distal -- High-resolution CT imaging can Airways (D. P. Tashkin assess small airway role in asthma and E. E. de Lange) -- Traditional diagnostic methods have not adequately measured small airway function

National guidelines recommend inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) as first-line therapy to achieve asthma control; however, most of these medications do not reach and treat the small airways due to their large particle size, therefore, small airway inflammation may remain largely uncontrolled. There are treatments available with extra-fine particle size, such as QVAR(R), which allows asthma control to be delivered deep in the lung, due to more effective penetration throughout the large and small airways. Patients should talk to their healthcare provider to learn more about available treatment options that reach and treat both large and small airways.

* The symposium was supported by an unrestricted grant from Teva Respiratory, LLC.

About Asthma

Asthma is a chronic (long-term), treatable lung disease that causes narrowing of the large and small airways, making breathing difficult at times. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath and coughing that often occurs at night or early in the morning. Without appropriate treatment, asthma symptoms may become more severe and result in an asthma attack, which can lead to hospitalization and even death.

Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts in childhood. In the U.S., more than 22 million people are known to have asthma, including more than 6 million children. Each year in the U.S., asthma causes approximately 500,000 hospitalizations, 134 million days of restricted activity and 4,000 deaths.

About QVAR(R)

QVAR(R) is indicated in the maintenance treatment of asthma as prophylactic therapy in patients 5 years of age or older. QVAR(R) is also indicated for asthma patients who require systemic corticosteroid administration, where adding QVAR(R) may reduce or eliminate the need for systemic corticosteroids.

Important Safety Information

QVAR(R) is not a bronchodilator and is not indicated for relief of acute bronchospasm. Common side effects associated with the use of QVAR(R) and placebo in clinical trials include, but are not limited to, headache (12% and 9%, respectively) and pharyngitis (8% and 4%, respectively). Caution: Adrenal insufficiency may occur when transferring patients from systemic steroids (see WARNINGS, Prescribing Information). A reduction in growth velocity in growing children and teenagers may occur as a result of inadequate control of chronic diseases such as asthma or from use of corticosteroids for treatment.

For full Prescribing Information, please click here: http://www.qvar.com/Document/PrescribingInformation.pdf.

About Teva Respiratory

Teva Respiratory is the U.S.-based respiratory subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., headquartered in Israel, is among the top 15 pharmaceutical companies in the world and is the leading generic pharmaceutical company. The company develops, manufactures and markets generic and innovative human pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Over 80 percent of Teva's sales are in North America and Europe.

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SOURCE Teva Respiratory, a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

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Health Asthma

Friday, February 26, 2010