Health Asthma

plus 3 more, “Schools near busy roads raise kids' asthma - Investors Business Daily”

2010-04-10T07:08:00.001-07:00

plus 3 more, “Schools near busy roads raise kids' asthma - Investors Business Daily”

Schools near busy roads raise kids' asthma - Investors Business Daily
Study links dogs, not cats, to kids' asthma risk - AsiaOne
Kids studying in schools near busy roads, have greater ... - Top News India
Schools Near Busy Roads Raise Kids' Asthma - OfficialWire

Schools near busy roads raise kids' asthma - Investors Business Daily

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 03:21 PM PDT

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Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Study links dogs, not cats, to kids' asthma risk - AsiaOne

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 09:26 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For children at higher-than-average risk of asthma, having a dog around the house may increase the chances of developing the lung disease, a new study suggests.

The study, which followed 380 children at increased risk of asthma due to family history, found that those exposed to relatively high levels of dog allergen at the age of 7 were more likely to have asthma.

In contrast, there was no relationship between cat-allergen exposure and a child's risk of asthma, according to findings published in the journal Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.

Exactly why dogs were related to a higher risk of asthma, while cats were not, is not entirely clear. But one factor may be endotoxin, a substance produced by bacteria that is known to trigger inflammation in the airways, explained lead researcher Dr. Chris Carlsten, of Vancouver General Hospital in British Columbia, Canada.

Carlsten and his colleagues found that children exposed to dog allergen at home were not at increased risk of developing an immune-system sensitization to dog allergen itself. Therefore, greater exposure to endotoxin may at least partly explain the association between having a dog in the home and a child's risk of asthma.

"Dogs tend to have a lot of endotoxin on them, because they're dogs," Carlsten told Reuters Health. In contrast, cats have much less, he said.

So should families with a history of asthma or allergies opt for a kitten over a puppy, or no fluffy pets at all?

"This study doesn't answer it," Carlsten said. "And in general, there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against pets."

He said that for now, his advice to parents is to base the decision on their family's desire to have a pet, rather than the potential effects on asthma risk.

The findings are based on 380 children who were at increased asthma risk because at least one first-degree relative (meaning a parent, sibling or child) had the lung disease or two or more first-degree relatives had other allergies, such as eczema or hay fever.

The children's mothers were recruited for the study during pregnancy, and researchers measured the levels of three allergens -- cat, dog and dust mite -- in the families' homes, periodically over the child's first year of life and again when they were 7 years old.

At the outset, roughly half of the families were randomly assigned to an intervention aimed at lowering the child's risk of developing allergies and asthma. That included encouraging mothers to breastfeed for at least four months, and having parents limit their children's exposure to dust mites, pets and tobacco smoke.

Carlsten's team found that exposure to higher levels of dog allergen -- at least 2 micrograms per gram of house dust -- at age 7 was associated with a nearly three-fold increase in the risk of asthma compared with lesser dog-allergen exposures. But that was only among children in the intervention group; 17 of 97 children exposed to higher levels of dog allergen at home had asthma at age 7.

Neither cat nor dust-mite exposure in infancy or at age 7 was related to the risk of asthma. Children with high dust-mite exposure were, however, more likely to show sensitization -- an immune system reaction during skin testing -- to dust-mite allergen.

According to Carlsten, the findings underscore the complexity of the relationship between indoor-allergen exposures and children's asthma risk. More research, he said, is still needed to understand those intricacies.

Because the current study included only children at elevated risk of asthma, it is not clear whether the findings might also apply to children at average risk.

SOURCE: Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, online March 19, 2010.

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Kids studying in schools near busy roads, have greater ... - Top News India

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 11:21 PM PDT

A University of Southern California study has indicated that children who go to school near busy roads increase their risk of asthma 45 percent.

The Keck School of Medicine study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, said that attending school in high-traffic areas is almost the same as living near similar pollution sources, even though children spend only about a third of their waking hours at school.

Study lead author and preventive medicine Professor Rob McConnell said in a statement, "Exposure to pollution at locations other than home, especially where children spend a large portion of their day and may engage in physical activity, appears to influence asthma risk."

The health of 2,497 kindergarten and first-grade children in Southern California who did not have asthma when they were first screened, were tracked by the researches. They then observed the children for three years and studied traffic conditions around their schools and homes.

The researchers said that of the 2,497 students in the study, 120 developed asthma.

McConnell said, "It's important to understand how these micro-environments where children spent a lot of their time outside of the home are impacting their health. Policies that reduce exposure to high-traffic environments may help to prevent this disease."

He further noted that Asthma is the most common chronic childhood illness in developed countries and has been linked to environmental factors such as traffic-related air pollution. (With Inputs from Agencies)

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Schools Near Busy Roads Raise Kids' Asthma - OfficialWire

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 12:25 AM PDT

Children who go to school near busy roads increase their risk of asthma 45 percent, a University of Southern California study indicated.

Attending school in high-traffic areas is almost the same as living near similar pollution sources, even though children spend only about a third of their waking hours at school, said the Keck School of Medicine study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

"Exposure to pollution at locations other than home, especially where children spend a large portion of their day and may engage in physical activity, appears to influence asthma risk," study lead author and preventive medicine Professor Rob McConnell said in a statement.

The researches tracked the health of 2,497 kindergarten and first-grade children in Southern California who did not have asthma when they were first screened. They then observed the children for three years and studied traffic conditions around their schools and homes.

Of the 2,497 students in the study, 120 developed asthma, the researchers said.

"It's important to understand how these micro-environments where children spent a lot of their time outside of the home are impacting their health," McConnell said. "Policies that reduce exposure to high-traffic environments may help to prevent this disease."

Asthma is the most common chronic childhood illness in developed countries and has been linked to environmental factors such as traffic-related air pollution.

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plus 2 more, “Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - Vancouver Sun”

2010-04-07T07:47:00.001-07:00

plus 2 more, “Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - Vancouver Sun”

Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - Vancouver Sun
Blackcurrant 'may ease asthma' - Sheffield Telegraph
Dust, fumes harm many asthmatic workers' breathing - Reuters

Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - Vancouver Sun

Posted: 06 Apr 2010 08:44 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a new study appear to expand the link between traffic exposure and poor lung function among people with asthma.

In a study of 176 adults with asthma or rhinitis, Dr. John R. Balmes, of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues found "the closer adults with asthma live to roadways with heavy traffic...the lower their lung function."

"Living close to any road was associated with lower lung function," Balmes told Reuters Health.

Other studies have shown lung health effects from major roadways, Balmes and colleagues note in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. "Ours is the first to show evidence that living near any road can do so," said Balmes.

He and colleagues therefore advise asthma patients minimize their traffic exposures.

The researchers assessed lung function and quality of life measures among the 176 adults (71 percent female) who were about 43 years old, on average, and undergoing treatment for chronic asthma with rhinitis (145 individuals) or rhinitis alone (31 individuals). The groups had similar proportions of current and former smokers.

Balmes' team found out how close each participant lived to the nearest roadway using road-location data provided by geographic information systems. They then compared lung function with the distance from a roadway of any type.

Those living the closest to a roadway had the lowest lung function (forced expiratory volume of 81.5 percent) while those living the farthest from a roadway had the highest lung function (forced expiratory volume of 89.7 percent).

Excluding individuals with rhinitis alone, factoring in the effects of lower socioeconomic status, smoking, and obesity, did not significantly alter the findings. However, the researchers found no association between traffic exposure and quality of life measures.

The investigators highlight the need for further confirmation of these findings, as well as continued research into the mechanisms by which traffic emissions impact lung function.

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Blackcurrant 'may ease asthma' - Sheffield Telegraph

Posted: 06 Apr 2010 11:57 AM PDT

The news is based on a laboratory study in New Zealand, which tested blackcurrant extracts on human lung cells in culture. Its findings have shed some light on the complex immune responses to allergens (substances that trigger allergic reactions), in particular those that are associated with inflammation of lung tissue seen in some asthma attacks. However, as this was a laboratory study on extracted cells, it is too soon to know whether the type of exposure these lung cells had to the blackcurrant extracts (namely incubating the cells with purified blackcurrant compounds) equates to how the body may access them after consumption of blackcurrants.

This is very early research. While the findings may help explain why diets high in some fruits seem to reduce the incidence and prevalence of asthma, it remains to be seen which exact chemical reactions may be responsible. It is also not yet clear whether the substances tested can be purified and turned into a safe and effective form of treatment for certain types of asthma.

Where did the story come from?The study was carried out by Dr Suzanne Hurst and colleagues from the Plant and Food Research Institute of New Zealand. It was funded by the Foundation for Research Science and Technology of New Zealand and published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.

What kind of research was this?In this laboratory study, which was conducted in cultures of human lung cells, researchers aimed to identify whether the polyphenol compounds found in blackcurrants could target particular cellular activities, thereby complementing the body's own immune actions.

In allergy-induced asthma, white blood cells called CD4+ T-helper type 2 cells are activated. These cells interact with other types of white blood cells called eosinophils to promote the lung inflammation that is associated with the classic symptoms of asthma. Two particular chemical messengers released by the T-helper 2 cells, called interleukin 4 (IL4) and interleukin 13 (IL13), are responsible for switching on a chemical called eotaxin, which is known to recruit the eosinophil white blood cells to the lungs.

One of three types of eotaxin (known as CCL26) seems to be the most important chemical in recruiting eosinophil white blood cells to the airways. In this study, the researchers investigated whether chemicals extracted from blackcurrants could interrupt the recruitment of eosinophils through the disruption of CCL26 production. They say that recent epidemiological studies (not assessed here) have shown that an increased intake of fresh fruit and vegetables is linked with lower levels of respiratory symptoms and non-specific lung disease. They say that these studies suggest that certain fruits may contain chemicals that can reduce allergen-induced asthma and that they designed this study to see whether this was true of blackcurrants.

What did the research involve?The researchers conducted several experiments using polyphenols sourced from New Zealand blackcurrants and cultures of human lung cells growing in a special growth medium.

The researchers first exposed cultured cells to different blackcurrant extracts or to a control substance to see whether the substances had any harmful effect on the cells. They then exposed the lung cells to different blackcurrant extracts or to a control in the absence or presence of IL4 or IL13 for 24 hours and measured the effects it had on levels of CCL26. The researchers then investigated the effects of exposure to "total polyphenols" (the mix of polyphenols naturally found in plants) and then to two specific polyphenol chemicals called anthocyanin (BC-A) and proanthocyanidin (BC-P).

The researchers then undertook further experiments to determine the exact action of the polyphenols on the cells and the time it took for the cells to recover from their effects. Further biochemical characterisation was undertaken to determine the exact chemical components of the polyphenols.

In a second set of experiments, the researchers assessed whether the blackcurrant extracts would affect the role of interferon-y (another chemical messenger) in reducing the secretion of CCL26. Interferons are secreted by a different type of CD4+ T-helper cell called type 1 cells. While their action would be helpful for asthmatics, there are fewer of these cells in allergic lung tissue.

What were the basic results?There were no adverse effects on the cultured cells when they were incubated in polyphenols extracted from blackcurrants. Initial exposure to the IL4 and IL13 chemical messengers led to secretion of CCL26 from the cells. Incubating lung cells with proanthocyanidin (BC-P) and IL4 or IL13 inhibited the secretion of CCL26 that would normally occur. However, no inhibiting effect was seen when the cells were incubated with anthocyanin (BC-A) and IL4 or IL13. The inhibitory effect of BC-P was no longer present 24 hours after the cells were washed and incubated with IL4 again.

The blackcurrant extract proanthocyanidin (BC-P) enhanced the action of interferon-y (INF-y) in suppressing CCL26 secretion, with the combination of BC-P and INF-y being more effective than either on its own. A chemical called epigallocatechin (EGC) seemed to be the active component of BC-P.

How did the researchers interpret the results?The researchers concluded that their results demonstrate that an extract from blackcurrants can suppress the CCL26 secretion that is stimulated by IL4 and IL13, both on its own and in conjunction with interferon-y. They say that the fact that BC-P but not BC-A had an effect on this pathway suggests that they may be involved in similar but distinct events in the cells.

ConclusionThis laboratory study has revealed how certain chemicals can affect the complex pathways that underpin the response that lung cells have to known chemical messengers. The study has shown that, when lung cells were incubated with certain blackcurrant extracts, they were able to inhibit the expected release of a substance that is known to lead to the lung inflammation seen in the human allergic asthma response.The authors discuss the findings of some epidemiological studies that show that consumption of selective fruits lowers the incidence and prevalence of asthma, particularly in children. The findings from their research may help explain why that may be the case. However, the results come from tests on lung cells in the laboratory, meaning that their applicability to living systems, whether human or animal, is currently uncertain and that the study should be viewed as very preliminary research into the potential pathways for asthma treatment.

The researchers raise the important issue of the "bioavailability" of the plant-derived phytochemicals, i.e. how and at what rate a substance can enter the circulatory system in a human and, therefore, become available for the body to use. They say that these chemicals are found as complex compounds in plants, but that other studies have found that chemicals and enzymes in the gut can break the large molecules down into smaller molecules, which can be more easily absorbed. Whether this process happens in humans, and how the by-products of digestion will affect the immune responses in living people's lung tissue, will need to be the subject of further study.

A healthy, balanced diet is important for a number of well-established reasons. Asthma medication should not be replaced by blackcurrants until this research has moved on further.

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Dust, fumes harm many asthmatic workers' breathing - Reuters

Posted: 06 Apr 2010 08:22 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Exposure to certain substances on the job is a major contributor to asthma attacks, a new analysis of European data shows.

Health

Overall, the researchers estimate that work-related exposures to gases, dust, fumes and other substances account for 15 percent of all asthma exacerbations among workers with asthma. Every year, they add, this translates to around 90,000 asthma exacerbations in 27 European countries.

Occupational asthma, which develops as a consequence of exposure to certain substances at work, has been estimated to account for 15 percent of new asthma cases among adults, according to the American Thoracic Society, Dr. P.K. Henneberger of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health/Centers for Disease Control in Morgantown, West Virginia, and colleagues point out.

However, the researchers add, the same 2003 report states that worsening of symptoms in workers with existing asthma due to work-related exposures could lead to "much more sickness and loss of productivity."

To investigate how much work environment might contribute to asthma attacks in people who already have the respiratory disease, the researchers analyzed data from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. Thousands of men and women 20 to 44 years old from several European countries have participated in the two-stage study. The researchers looked at a subset of 966 working adults with asthma who took part in the second phase of the study.

Seventy-four study participants, or 8 percent, reported having one or more "severe exacerbation events," which the researchers defined as having sought unplanned medical care for asthma in the past year. Ex-smokers were less likely to have such an event than current smokers.

When the researchers looked at study participants by occupation, they found that bakery workers were nearly eight times more likely to have an asthma exacerbation, while other occupations at higher than average risk included blue-collar workers as a whole, drivers, and "other blue collar workers," a catch-all group that included artists, garbage collectors, and hand launderers and pressers.

Based on type of exposure, people who worked with dust, gas and fumes and had high exposure to them were at triple the risk of asthma exacerbations. Substances that individually upped risk included biological dusts, mineral dusts, and gas and fumes.

Some measures, however, have paid off: "Efforts to prevent work-related asthma have succeeded in different occupational settings, including healthcare workers exposed to natural rubber latex, animal handlers in laboratories, and detergent production workers exposed to enzymes," the researchers write.

SOURCE: European Respiratory Journal, published online March 29, 2010.

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plus 2 more, “Transplants for asthma patients? - Omaha World-Herald”

2010-04-06T07:15:00.001-07:00

plus 2 more, “Transplants for asthma patients? - Omaha World-Herald”

Transplants for asthma patients? - Omaha World-Herald
Breathless: New study looks at asthma in rural Midwest - LimaOhio.com
Smoking pregnant increases baby's asthma risk: Study - canada.com

Transplants for asthma patients? - Omaha World-Herald

Posted: 05 Apr 2010 09:59 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES -- Cases of severe, therapy-resistant asthma are on the rise worldwide, and new strategies are needed to treat the estimated 100,000 people who die of asthma every year. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and their colleagues are exploring a radical solution bone marrow transplants.

Scientists know the transplants have the potential to reset the immune system and calm an overactive inflammatory response. They are already used to treat patients who develop acute graft-versus-host disease following an organ transplant. Asthma also involves excessive inflammation, prompting the airways to constrict and the lungs to secrete mucus. Why not reboot the immune systems with a bone marrow transplant?

To test their theory, the researchers gave the transplants to asthmatic mice that were allergic to ragweed. Then, when the mice were exposed to ragweed, their allergic and asthmatic symptoms (measured by chemical levels in their blood) decreased significantly. The scientists concluded that the bone marrow transplants helped the mice by restoring a healthy balance of immune system cells known as Th1 and Th2.

The results were published online this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Eva Mezey, who heads the adult stem cell research section at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in Bethesda, Md., told HealthDay that "it's very likely that the intervention would work in humans."

But she emphasized that more research is needed before bone marrow transplants could be tested in people with severe asthma. For instance, although the mice got their bone marrow through an intravenous injection, human patients might do better with an aerosol because it could deliver the cells directly to the lungs, she said.

Copyright ©2010 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.

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Breathless: New study looks at asthma in rural Midwest - LimaOhio.com

Posted: 05 Apr 2010 09:24 PM PDT

Newletters/Alerts | FreedomPolitics.com

Freedom Communications, Inc.

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Smoking pregnant increases baby's asthma risk: Study - canada.com

Posted: 05 Apr 2010 07:36 PM PDT

VIENNE - Smoking during pregancy increases the risk of a baby developing asthma up to sixfold, said a Swedish study published at the European Respiratory Society's annual congress on Monday.

The study by Professeur Anders Bjerg of the Sunderby central hospital in Norrbotten and his specialists showed that smoking leads to babies being born underweight, a fact that has an impact on the development of asthma.

The Swedish doctors studied asthma in about 3,400 children between 1996 and 2008.

The study found that babies of smoking mothers had an average weight of 211 grammes (7.44 ounces) less than those of mothers who do not smoke.

Nearly a quarter (24.3 percent) of smoking mothers' babies weighed less than 2.5 kilogrammes at birth against 4.1 percent for those of non-smoking women.

In underweight children of women who smoked throughout their pregnancy the asthma risk was at 23.5 percent, against 7.7 percent in children of non-smoking mothers who were born with an average weight.

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plus 2 more, “Health concerns still cast a pall over incineration - Toronto Star”

2010-04-05T07:41:00.001-07:00

plus 2 more, “Health concerns still cast a pall over incineration - Toronto Star”

Health concerns still cast a pall over incineration - Toronto Star
The Jamaica asthma and allergies national prevalence ... - BioMed Central
Study says babies' lives, health costs saved if 90 ... - Hartford Courant

Health concerns still cast a pall over incineration - Toronto Star

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 06:55 PM PDT

Retired Durham region farmer Linda Gasser is opposed to the creation of a garbage incinerator in Clarington because, she says, experts do not fully know the future impact of airborne particulates and toxins that result from burned garbage.

YVONNE BERG/FOR THE TORONTO STAR

Protesters who showed up in gas masks outside Durham Region's Whitby headquarters one night last May weren't mollified by assurances that today's incineration technology is far cleaner than that of 20 years ago.

"It's a travesty that they've chosen greed over the health and welfare of our children," Oshawa mother Marissa Kata said of the region's decision to ask Covanta Energy to build a $236 million plant near Clarington that would erase the region's garbage problem while generating power.

"We have a moral responsibility to stand up and say 'no,'" chimed in Sid Ryan, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario, also on hand that night. Anti-incinerator Councillor Brian Nicholson claimed the region's consultant had admitted there was a health hazard involved, "But they buried it deep in the 400-page report."

And some 75 doctors are said to have come out against the plan, worried about what else the plant might generate: asthma, cancer, delayed development in children?

On the other hand, proponents say improved technology and tightened emissions standards mean today's incinerators are safe. Even Greenpeace, once a fierce foe of incineration, has abandoned its campaign against it. And the Clarington project recently passed muster with the Ontario environment ministry.

So who's right?

The health debate around incineration is hardly new. The fury that erupted around incinerators in the 1980s and 1990s led to closing many plants, including Toronto's Commissioners St. facility. Years after the plants were built, it was learned that burning certain garbage at certain temperatures emits dioxins and furans — highly toxic chemicals that the body never flushes — as well as dangerous heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium.

Liver cancer, lung cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, congenital defects in newborns: These were just some of the health effects on nearby populations cited in a 2001 Greenpeace report.

Detroit's incinerator is a poster child for anti-incineration forces. People living in rundown neighbourhoods around the city's massive waste-to-energy plant point to its smokestack as the source of their breathing problems. Three times as many kids are sent to hospital with asthma attacks from the area than the state average, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health.

To be fair, that's in Motor City, in a 20-year-old plant that borders two major highways, with the gaping carcasses of car factories slumping on all sides. The incinerator has had plenty of company in the pollution department.

"People say automobiles going by have a larger effect," says Sandra Turner-Hardy, a soft-spoken Detroit activist. "But the city doesn't have the choice to take 100,000 vehicles off the road. They can choose to shut down this facility."

Turner-Hardy began battling to shut the plant down after her granddaughter developed asthma while attending a nearby school. "She went to the hospital three times for asthma attacks," says Turner-Handy. "Since she left, she has not used her puffer one time."

But whether Detroit's experience has any bearing on future choices in the GTA is a big question.

Since the 1980s, governments worldwide have tightened emission standards on the facilities. Tour one today, and you'll find that half the building is filled with pollution-prevention devices, such as catalytic reactors to neutralize smog-forming nitrogen oxides and bag filters to capture particulates that provoke asthma.

"I was very concerned about the health implications when we started this process," says Durham Region chair Roger Anderson, a key supporter. "We spoke to health officers in Europe and the U.S. We were so concerned, we wouldn't make a decision until our medical officer of health passed a judgment."

His research over four years included visits to 13 energy-from-waste facilities in places like Sweden and Holland.

"If our medical officer of health came back and said, 'It's not a good process that is going to cause risk to residents,' I guarantee four years of work would have died on the table," Anderson says.

Instead, Durham health officer Dr. Robert Kyle gave the project a green light. His risk assessment didn't say it was 100 per cent safe; he said the risks of additional cancers attributable to the plant would be one in a million.

"It's a conservative, acceptable risk," Kyle told the Star. "Any industrial enterprise … has risks associated with it."

Recently, the British Health Protection Agency, an arm's-length advisory body made up of professionals and doctors, agreed with him.

"Well-managed, modern incinerators are likely to have only a very small effect on health," the report concludes. Particulates, dioxins, furans, heavy metals — all these things are emitted by incinerators, it states, but at insignificant amounts. (Municipal waste incinerators account for less than 1 per cent of UK dioxin emissions.)

The changes were what led Greenpeace to dismantle its anti-incinerator campaign.

"A lot of the health-impact concerns about incineration have died away," says Paul Johnson, principal scientist at the organization's research lab and an author of that damning 2001 report. "The conventional wisdom is with all the emissions control, they are as safe as houses."

There are dissenting views, though. Contradicting the health protection agency, the British Society for Ecological Medicine wants a ban on new incinerators and an independent monitoring group struck to oversee existing plants.

Closer to home, Halton Region voted against building an incinerator two years ago, after Bob Nosal, its medical officer of health, raised concerns.

The Durham facility is expected to operate for 25 years. To appease critics, the region has promised best-of-the-best testing and monitoring. The operator is expected to meet European emissions limits, more stringent than Ontario's.

For the first three years, there will be independent studies of ambient air and nearby soil, seeking signs of chemicals and heavy metals. An independent environmental oversight committee will oversee operations.

Anderson envisions an electronic billboard flashing the latest test results to drivers passing by on Highway 401. "I'm convinced once the stack is up people will see it for the first six months," he says, "then it will become part of the background."

But across the border in upstate New York, Onondaga County illustrates the problem with relying on political promises. The county pledged much the same rigour when it built its incinerator — run by New Jersey-based Covanta, the company building Durham's — near Syracuse 15 years ago. The environmental oversight committee was later disbanded. Last year, under financial pressure, the county scrapped its air-monitoring tests and now proposes to cut the soil-sampling program by half.

That comes two years after tests revealed raised levels of arsenic and dioxin in nearby soil (though still within acceptable limits). And studies of fish in a lake 2.5 km away reveal alarmingly high mercury.

"All these things they talked about, they got watered down," says Vicki Baker, a town councillor who launched her political career campaigning against the incinerator. She opposes renewing its permit.

When it comes to dioxin, she says, "How little is too much? You don't generate dioxin when composting and recycling."

A new debate is erupting around emissions of nanoparticles — particles 1/20th the width of a human hair that are formed during combustion. Breathed in, they can pass directly into the bloodstream.

Study of nanoparticles is an emerging science, but researchers such as Vyvyan Howard, a toxico-pathologist and past president of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment, believe they carry toxic loads. He cites the precautionary principle of medicine: When the risks are high and science uncertain, it's better to err on the side of caution.

"Look at the things we know now we didn't 20 years ago," says Linda Gasser, a retired Durham farmer and vocal incinerator opponent. Twenty years ago, for instance, no one knew that hard plastic water bottles leached bisphenol A, a synthetic estrogen. No one knew the chemical would disrupt the endocrine system of developing fetuses — changing the sperm in mice testes into eggs in laboratories.

Nanoparticles, Gasser worries, "could be the dioxin of the 21st century."

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The Jamaica asthma and allergies national prevalence ... - BioMed Central

Posted: 02 Apr 2010 06:50 PM PDT

Study protocol

Eulalia K Kahwa , Novie O Younger , Yvonne B Wint , Norman K Waldron , Hermi H Hewitt , Jennifer M Knight- Madden , Kay A Bailey , Nancy C Edwards , Laurel R Talabere and Karen N Lewis-Bell

BMC Medical Research Methodology 2010, 10:29doi:10.1186/1471-2288-10-29

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Study says babies' lives, health costs saved if 90 ... - Hartford Courant

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 08:35 PM PDT

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LINDSEY TANNER AP Medical Writer

12:03 a.m. EDT, April 5, 2010

CHICAGO (AP) — The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90 percent of U.S. women breast-fed their babies for the first six months of life, a cost analysis says.

Those startling results, published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics, are only an estimate. But several experts who reviewed the analysis said the methods and conclusions seem sound.

"The health care system has got to be aware that breast-feeding makes a profound difference," said Dr. Ruth Lawrence, who heads the American Academy of Pediatrics' breast-feeding section.

The findings suggest that there are hundreds of deaths and many more costly illnesses each year from health problems that breast-feeding may help prevent. These include stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia.

The magnitude of health benefits linked to breast-feeding is vastly underappreciated, said lead author Dr. Melissa Bartick, an internist and instructor at Harvard Medical School. Breast-feeding is sometimes considered a lifestyle choice, but Bartick calls it a public health issue.

Among the benefits: Breast milk contains antibodies that help babies fight infections; it also can affect insulin levels in the blood, which may make breast-fed babies less likely to develop diabetes and obesity.

The analysis studied the prevalence of 10 common childhood illnesses, costs of treating those diseases, including hospitalization, and the level of disease protection other studies have linked with breast-feeding.

The $13 billion in estimated losses due to the low breast-feeding rate includes an economists' calculation partly based on lost potential lifetime wages — $10.56 million per death.

The methods were similar to a widely cited 2001 government report that said $3.6 billion could be saved each year if 50 percent of mothers breast-fed their babies for six months. Medical costs have climbed since then and breast-feeding rates have increased only slightly.

About 43 percent of U.S. mothers do at least some breast-feeding for six months, but only 12 percent follow government guidelines recommending that babies receive only breast milk for six months.

Dr. Larry Gray, a University of Chicago pediatrician, called the analysis compelling and said it's reasonable to strive for 90 percent compliance.

But he also said mothers who don't breast-feed for six months shouldn't be blamed or made to feel guilty, because their jobs and other demands often make it impossible to do so.

"We'd all love as pediatricians to be able to carry this information into the boardrooms by saying we all gain by small changes at the workplace" that encourage breast-feeding, Gray said.

Bartick said there are some encouraging signs. The government's new health care overhaul requires large employers to provide private places for working mothers to pump breast milk. And under a provision enacted April 1 by the Joint Commission, a hospital accrediting agency, hospitals may be evaluated on their efforts to ensure that newborns are fed only breast milk before they're sent home.

The pediatrics academy says babies should be given a chance to start breast-feeding immediately after birth. Bartick said that often doesn't happen, and at many hospitals newborns are offered formula even when their mothers intend to breast-feed.

"Hospital practices need to change to be more in line with evidence-based care," Bartick said. "We really shouldn't be blaming mothers for this."

___

On the Net:

American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org

Government: http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/

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plus 2 more, “Medicines made from worms 'could cure asthma and ... - Scotsman.com”

2010-04-04T07:24:00.001-07:00

plus 2 more, “Medicines made from worms 'could cure asthma and ... - Scotsman.com”

Medicines made from worms 'could cure asthma and ... - Scotsman.com
Living With Asthma - Health.com
10 Best Big Cities for People With Asthma - Health.com

Medicines made from worms 'could cure asthma and ... - Scotsman.com

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 06:09 AM PDT

Scottish scientists have been studying the effects of parasitic worms and the team at the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences now believe they are close to testing new treatments in patients.

The institute, which has seen its

research funding double since it was established in 2006, is due to open a new £36 million facility to build on its work.

Professor Billy Harnett, professor of molecular immunology, said the worm study had been prompted by observations in developing countries.

"What's been noticed over the past ten or 20 years is that people who live in Third World countries tend to have surprisingly low levels of things like asthma and rheumatoid arthritis," he said.

"One of the reasons considered to explain this, because these diseases have been increasing at an enormous rate in the West, was that maybe people were being exposed to something that was giving them some kind of protection against the development of these kind of disease."

This has led researchers at Strathclyde and elsewhere to investigate whether infection with parasitic worms – common in the Third World – could explain lower rates of asthma and arthritis.

The Strathclyde researchers are working with parasites called filarial nematodes, which can cause conditions such as elephantiasis. It causes legs to swell grotesquely. The secretions seem to work by targeting cells in the body known as "mast" cells

"This is a critical cell in asthma," Prof Harnett said. "What happens in asthma is when your mast cells become exposed to things like pollen, for example, they become activated and start to secrete chemicals which cause all the distressing symptoms of asthma.

"This parasite derived molecule seems to block this process."

He said the team had found human mast cells exposed to the molecules from the parasite could switch off the production of dangerous chemicals released during an asthma attack.

Prof Harnett said the tests could result in a treatment in a few years' time.

Dr Elaine Vickers, research relations manager at Asthma UK, said: "Results show the study of parasitic worms and their link to asthma is an exciting area worth further investigation, and may lead to effective new treatments for the 5.4 million people with asthma in the UK."

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Living With Asthma - Health.com

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 01:51 AM PDT

Copyright © 2010 Health Media Ventures, Inc. All rights reserved.
The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. See the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for more information.

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10 Best Big Cities for People With Asthma - Health.com

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 01:44 AM PDT

Where does your city rank?

Each year, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) ranks the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. from worst to first, based on how challenging it is for people with asthma to live there. (The areas include major cities and their surroundings.) The AAFA considers a wide range of variables, including asthma rates, air quality, pollen counts, and the number of asthma specialists in the area.

The AAFA emphasizes the 10 worst cities for asthma. (This year St. Louis was named the worst of the worst.) But in this slideshow we take a look at the 10 best big cities for asthma. Is your city on the list?

Next: 10. Boise, Idaho

Credit: Getty Images

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plus 3 more, “The health benefits of green living: Going green ... - Examiner”

2010-04-03T07:11:00.001-07:00

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The health benefits of green living: Going green ... - Examiner
The Jamaica asthma and allergies national prevalence ... - BioMed Central
Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - Edmonton Journal
MinuteClinic Offers New Health Condition Monitoring ... - Yahoo Finance

The health benefits of green living: Going green ... - Examiner

Posted: 03 Apr 2010 01:23 AM PDT

Comment Subscribe

As discussed in the previous article, air pollution has a dramatic effect on the lungs. This is due to what is known as particle matter -- tiny particles of soot, dust, vehicle exhaust particles, and chemical matter -- that is suspended in polluted air. As a person breathes in, they inhale this particle matter and it becomes lodged in the lungs. This can lead to several lung problems, including asthma.

Studies and hospital records show more people are hospitalized due to asthma when air pollution increases. Conversely, hospitalizations are less common as air quality improves. Each person who uses one or more green living techniques to reduce air pollution is lowering the risk of asthma for everyone in the community.

For tips on green living techniques to reduce air pollution, see the previous article in this series: The health benefits of green living: Going green reduces your risk of lung cancer

Going green in the house reduces asthma and improves breathing
Toxic cleaning products, air fresheners, and other home chemicals contain compounds called Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOC). Several studies show a connection between VOC fumes and an increased risk of asthma and decreased lung function.

For example, one study on VOCs found a common chemical in home products (1,4 dicholorobenzene) causes a 4% reduction in lung function. This chemical is found in products such as air fresheners, disinfectants, anti-mildew products, mothballs, and pesticides.

To make matters worse, many of these toxic home chemicals come in spray bottles and aerosol cans. A study conducted in Europe found people who used common cleaning products in spray form -- furniture polish, glass cleaners, and air fresheners -- had a 50% higher risk of developing asthma.

"Everybody knows that cigarette smoke and car emissions are the kinds of chemicals that can trigger asthma, but maybe we better look at things that are in our everyday life, like air fresheners," said Dr. Jennifer Appleyard, chief of allergy and immunology at St. John Hospital in Detroit, as quoted by US News & World Report.

Dr. Appleyard's advice on the matter?

"Try to go green with your cleaning products...You can't control pollution or pollen, but you can control your exposure to cleaning products, and it's a good idea to control anything you can, because these changes occur slowly over time."

Finding ready-made green living cleaning products in Indianapolis
Meijer produces its own line of non-toxic cleaners under their Meijer Naturals label. These products are non-toxic, all natural, and biodegradable. They also do a very effective job in cleaning. Use the Meijer Store Locator to find the closest Indianapolis area location.

Seventh Generation makes a large line of environmentally safe cleaning products, including all-purpose, kitchen & bath, laundry, disinfectants, and carpet cleaners. Their products are sold throughout Indianapolis at Marsh, Kroger, Walgreens, and Whole Foods. Visit the Seventh Generation website for coupons and a product finder.

For more articles by the Indianapolis Healthy Living Examiner, please visit Amanda's homepage. To keep up with health news and information, click the subscribe link at the top of the page to receive email notification when new articles are published.

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The Jamaica asthma and allergies national prevalence ... - BioMed Central

Posted: 02 Apr 2010 06:50 PM PDT

Study protocol

BMC Medical Research Methodology 2010, 10:29doi:10.1186/1471-2288-10-29

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Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - Edmonton Journal

Posted: 02 Apr 2010 07:40 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a new study appear to expand the link between traffic exposure and poor lung function among people with asthma.

"Living close to any road was associated with lower lung function," Balmes told Reuters Health.

He and colleagues therefore advise asthma patients minimize their traffic exposures.

The investigators highlight the need for further confirmation of these findings, as well as continued research into the mechanisms by which traffic emissions impact lung function.

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MinuteClinic Offers New Health Condition Monitoring ... - Yahoo Finance

Posted: 01 Apr 2010 06:19 AM PDT

WOONSOCKET, R.I., April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, the largest provider of retail-based medical clinics in the United States, has introduced a series of convenient health condition monitoring services to help patients previously diagnosed with diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure overcome the challenges of living with their conditions. Health condition monitoring is available at MinuteClinic locations in CVS/pharmacy stores in 20 states and the District of Columbia. MinuteClinic is the retail health care division of CVS Caremark ( NYSE : CVS).

The new monitoring services, called Monitoring Made Easy™, are performed by MinuteClinic nurse practitioners and physician assistants. They are designed to support patients with ongoing health conditions in between visits to their primary care provider or to provide assistance to patients who may not receive regular care.

MinuteClinic will send all health care monitoring results to a primary care provider with patient permission. Visit summaries are sent via electronic medical record or fax, typically within 24 hours. In addition, MinuteClinic practitioners will help patients locate a primary care provider in the community if they do not have one. A collaborating physician (medical director) is on call during MinuteClinic operating hours.

"There are millions of Americans who are overwhelmed by the difficulties associated with caring for their diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., President, MinuteClinic and Senior Vice President/Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. "These patients must navigate the health care system on their own and often face enormous time and cost commitments that can sometimes keep them from getting the care they need.

"By providing health condition monitoring at MinuteClinic, our goal is to be a convenient and affordable resource where patients can not only receive an exam and regular lab tests, but also spend meaningful time with a practitioner to obtain advice and have questions about their condition and medication answered."

Monitoring Made Easy services at MinuteClinic are available seven days a week, including weekday evening hours; no appointment is necessary.

When providing health condition monitoring services, MinuteClinic practitioners review the individual's medical history and perform an exam and tests based on nationally established clinical practice guidelines for standards of care, which may include an A1c test and comprehensive foot exam for diabetes, breathing and oxygen level testing for asthma, a lipid profile for high cholesterol and a blood pressure check and microalbumin test for high blood pressure.

"We know from our own research and from independent studies conducted by the Rand Corporation, that as many as 60 percent of patients visiting our clinics are without a primary care provider," said Sussman. "So our practitioners are in a unique position to help patients identify a primary care provider and create a path of care that includes monitoring at MinuteClinic to stay on top of their condition."

Most health insurance plans cover MinuteClinic health condition monitoring services. Patients are advised to contact their insurance company to verify coverage prior to their visit. Self-pay visits start at $62. Patients are informed of additional lab charges at the time of visit.

A series of blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and weight evaluation screening services are also provided by MinuteClinic to patients who have not been previously diagnosed with a condition but want to determine if they are at-risk.

In addition to offering monitoring and screening services, MinuteClinic practitioners are trained to diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. Minor wounds, abrasions and joint sprains are treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, pneumovax, and Hepatitis A & B are available at all locations.

About MinuteClinic

MinuteClinic is a division of CVS Caremark Corporation ( NYSE :CVS - News), the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States. MinuteClinic launched the first retail health care centers in the United States in 2000 and is the first provider to establish a national presence, with approximately 500 locations in 25 states and the District of Columbia. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to consumer demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has generated more than six million patient visits, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating. A recognized leader in the patient-centric health care movement, MinuteClinic consistently brings innovation to the marketplace and sets new standards for clinical quality that exceed the national guidelines established for store-based clinics. MinuteClinic is the first retail health care provider to receive accreditation (2006) and reaccreditation (2009) from The Joint Commission, the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit www.MinuteClinic.com.

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plus 3 more, “MinuteClinic launches health condition monitoring ... - News-Medical.Net”

2010-04-02T07:17:00.001-07:00

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MinuteClinic launches health condition monitoring ... - News-Medical.Net
MinuteClinic Offers New Health Condition Monitoring ... - MSN Money
Why have asthma medications increase in cost in the ... - HealthCentral.com
Social factors influence neighbourhood asthma rates - The Province

MinuteClinic launches health condition monitoring ... - News-Medical.Net

Posted: 02 Apr 2010 03:05 AM PDT

MinuteClinic, the largest provider of retail-based medical clinics in the United States, has introduced a series of convenient health condition monitoring services to help patients previously diagnosed with diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure overcome the challenges of living with their conditions. Health condition monitoring is available at MinuteClinic locations in CVS/pharmacy stores in 20 states and the District of Columbia. MinuteClinic is the retail health care division of CVS Caremark ( CVS).

Monitoring Made Easy services at MinuteClinic are available seven days a week, including weekday evening hours; no appointment is necessary.

SOURCE MinuteClinic

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MinuteClinic Offers New Health Condition Monitoring ... - MSN Money

Posted: 01 Apr 2010 04:53 AM PDT

Monitoring Made Easy services at MinuteClinic are available seven days a week, including weekday evening hours; no appointment is necessary.

About MinuteClinic

MinuteClinic is a division of CVS Caremark Corporation CVS, the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States. MinuteClinic launched the first retail health care centers in the United States in 2000 and is the first provider to establish a national presence, with approximately 500 locations in 25 states and the District of Columbia. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to consumer demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has generated more than six million patient visits, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating. A recognized leader in the patient-centric health care movement, MinuteClinic consistently brings innovation to the marketplace and sets new standards for clinical quality that exceed the national guidelines established for store-based clinics. MinuteClinic is the first retail health care provider to receive accreditation (2006) and reaccreditation (2009) from The Joint Commission, the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit www.MinuteClinic.com.

SOURCE MinuteClinic

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Why have asthma medications increase in cost in the ... - HealthCentral.com

Posted: 02 Apr 2010 06:54 AM PDT

By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2005-2010. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Social factors influence neighbourhood asthma rates - The Province

Posted: 01 Apr 2010 09:07 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Childhood asthma is less common in neighbourhoods with high economic potential and strong community vitality, new research shows.

"It's nice to be able to look at some positive characteristics of neighbourhoods that may protect against asthma," Dr. Ruchi S. Gupta, of Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, one of the researchers on the study, told Reuters Health. "We're always looking at negative characteristics."

While the role of economic and environmental factors in childhood asthma have been studied extensively, there has been very little investigation of how social factors might influence the prevalence of the disease, Gupta and her associates note in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

They previously demonstrated sharp differences in asthma prevalence among Chicago neighbourhoods and in the current study looked at whether community characteristics might explain these differences.

The researchers analyzed asthma screening surveys of 45,177 children attending Chicago public schools conducted between 2003 and 2005, and then mapped all of the children into 287 different neighbourhoods. They ranked the neighbourhoods in four groups based on asthma cases.

They found that neighbourhoods with low asthma prevalence had higher scores on the Community Vitality Index, which combines ratings for social capital, economic potential, and community amenities. They also had higher economic potential.

The strongest factor, which remained after the researchers adjusted for the racial makeup of the neighbourhoods, was social capital, which measures the degree of civic engagement among residents along with other factors.

The findings point to policy changes at the community level that could help reduce asthma prevalence, Gupta said. "It's not like you're going to be able to go in and give everyone a job, but you can empower people to make positive changes in their neighbourhoods," she explained.

The researchers also found, surprisingly, that more stable communities and those that scored higher on measures of neighbourhood interaction had a higher prevalence of asthma.

Gupta noted that the neighbourhood interaction score was based in part on having a higher percentage of households with at least one member who was not working, as well as a lower percentage of single-person households.

"Although one can understand how these factors may lead to increased interaction, they may also signify crowding and poverty," the investigators point out. And the less-frequent household turnover in more stable households may mean that thorough cleanings occur less often, giving mold and cockroaches a better opportunity to take hold.

SOURCE: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, June 2009.

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2010-04-01T07:39:00.001-07:00

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MinuteClinic Offers New Health Condition Monitoring ... - Yahoo Finance
Is it possible to fully cure asthma? - HealthCentral.com
over the counter cough syrup for asthma patients - HealthCentral.com
Hot Off the Wire - dBusinessNews.com

MinuteClinic Offers New Health Condition Monitoring ... - Yahoo Finance

Posted: 01 Apr 2010 06:19 AM PDT

Monitoring Made Easy services at MinuteClinic are available seven days a week, including weekday evening hours; no appointment is necessary.

About MinuteClinic

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Is it possible to fully cure asthma? - HealthCentral.com

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 08:39 PM PDT

Hi there... Great question! Unfortunately, the answer to it is no, there is currently no cure for asthma. However, the good news is that asthma can be completely controlled in most cases through a combination of easy to use medication and changes in your environment. You'll find a lot of articles all through this site from me and our other asthma experts that talk about this.

Hope this helps,

Kathi

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over the counter cough syrup for asthma patients - HealthCentral.com

Posted: 01 Apr 2010 12:07 AM PDT

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Hot Off the Wire - dBusinessNews.com

Posted: 01 Apr 2010 03:35 AM PDT

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UpToDate, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, announces the addition of Allergy and Immunology to its clinical information database. Subscribers to UpToDate can now access over 300 topics specifically devoted to allergy, asthma and immunology, and a total of over 8,300 topics across 16 specialties.

UpToDate is an evidence-based resource that provides fast, accurate clinical answers to physicians and other medical professionals, particularly at the point of care. UpToDate is available online and can also be installed on a computer or mobile device.

Editors-in-Chief of the new allergy and immunology content are Bruce S. Bochner, MD; E. Richard Stiehm, MD; and Robert A. Wood, MD. These editors and 247 physician contributors worked to develop topics that cover all the major areas of allergy, asthma and immunology.

In a recent survey regarding the content in UpToDate, allergy and immunology professionals reported that UpToDate answered more than 90% of their clinical questions.

According to Denise S. Basow, MD, Editor-in-Chief of UpToDate, "The specialty of allergy and immunology encompasses a broad range of diagnoses, from sinus problems to food allergies to recurrent infections due to immune deficiency. Asthma is also an important medical problem diagnosed and treated by allergy specialists. UpToDate's allergy, asthma and immunology topics, which are authored and edited by leaders in the field, meet the specific needs and interests of both physicians and patients."

Widely accepted by more than 400,000 clinicians in 147 countries, UpToDate's mission is to improve health outcomes by providing clinicians with current, comprehensive clinical content, including treatment recommendations based on the best medical evidence. Created by more than 4,400 editors, authors and peer reviewers from leading medical institutions, UpToDate monitors more than 440 journals to ensure that the most recent information and findings are incorporated into the content.

About UpToDate

UpToDate ® is an evidence-based, physician-authored clinical information resource that is available online and can also be installed on a computer or mobile device. With UpToDate, clinicians can answer questions quickly, increase their clinical knowledge and improve patient care. Patients can also access UpToDate's free patient information or subscribe to UpToDate for the same current, in-depth medical content trusted by physicians. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Waltham, Mass., UpToDate is relied on by more than 400,000 clinicians worldwide, almost 90% of academic medical centers in the US and thousands of patients.

UpToDate is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health and pharmacy. Major brands include traditional publishers of medical and drug reference tools and textbooks, such as Lippincott Williams & Wilkins and Facts & Comparisons ®; and electronic information providers, such as Ovid ®, UpToDate ®, Medi-Span ® and ProVation ® Medical.

Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company. Professionals in the areas of legal, business, tax, accounting, finance, audit, risk, compliance, and healthcare rely on Wolters Kluwer's leading, information-enabled tools and solutions to manage their business efficiently, deliver results to their clients, and succeed in an ever more dynamic world.

Wolters Kluwer has 2009 annual revenues of â‚¬3.4 billion ($4.8 billion), employs approximately 19,300 people worldwide, and maintains operations in over 40 countries across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. Wolters Kluwer is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Its shares are quoted on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices.

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2010-03-31T07:30:00.001-07:00

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Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - The Province
Mike Kepka / The Chronicle - San Francisco Chronicle
The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis Extends Its ... - PR.com
Health-care reform foes still getting it wrong - Delaware County Daily Times

Asthma plus traffic equals poor lung function - The Province

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 03:07 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a new study appear to expand the link between traffic exposure and poor lung function among people with asthma.

"Living close to any road was associated with lower lung function," Balmes told Reuters Health.

He and colleagues therefore advise asthma patients minimize their traffic exposures.

The investigators highlight the need for further confirmation of these findings, as well as continued research into the mechanisms by which traffic emissions impact lung function.

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Mike Kepka / The Chronicle - San Francisco Chronicle

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 05:38 AM PDT

A flap between the federal government and some health insurers over a provision in the new health care law that will require them to cover children with pre-existing conditions offered an early look into difficulties of interpreting the complex legislation.

Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of health and human services, sent a letter Monday to the industry's main trade group warning insurers that they won't be able to deny children access to their parents' coverage starting in September after insurers questioned whether they had to sell insurance this year to families with health problems.

The trade group, America's Health Insurance Plans, responded to the secretary Tuesday, saying insurers "recognize the significant hardship a family faces when they are unable to obtain coverage for a child with a pre-existing condition" and will "fully comply" with the new rules.

While that may have resolved the immediate misinterpretation problem, other ambiguities remain such as whether insurers would be able to charge higher premiums, as they do now, for children with conditions like asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis or other conditions.

Looking to 2014

But Hardy said the number of additional children with health conditions being covered should not overwhelm insurers because most children are healthy.

"Because the insurance companies are getting all of these new customers and are getting the individual mandate so even healthy people will be required to buy insurance, the numbers should work out for them without having to charge more for people with pre-existing conditions," she said.

The mandate in the new health law that most Americans have coverage doesn't kick in until 2014, the same year that insurers will no longer be allowed to deny coverage for adults based on their pre-existing conditions or charge higher premiums to people with poor health histories.

When Bronte Abraham of Menlo Park started calling insurers about applying for individual coverage for a family, she was rejected over the phone by virtually all carriers because her 10-year-old son has autism.

After submitting detailed applications to two insurers, she was able to get insurance through Anthem Blue Cross - but the company set the premium for her son with autism at nearly twice the rate as his 3-year-old brother.

Still, she considered that lucky. "This is the only option we had in the individual market," she said.

Abraham was pleased by the upcoming promise of guaranteed coverage for children. "In this economy, when people are losing jobs and switching jobs left and right, it really does give flexibility and peace of mind, at least for your kids," she said.

E-mail Victoria Colliver at vcolliver@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

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The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis Extends Its ... - PR.com

Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:55 PM PDT

Minneapolis, MN, March 24, 2010 --(PR.com)-- The right balance between conventional and complimentary treatment options is key to the successful management of any chronic health condition, including asthma. The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis is an educational service founded to help breathing sufferers take control of their respiratory health naturally and permanently. It offers drug-free, clinically-proven, breathing retraining programs for conditions such as asthma, allergies, snoring, sleep apnea, chronic nasal congestion, rhinitis and other breathing-related disorders.

The Buteyko Method, named by its creator, Russian Professor of Medicine K.P. Buteyko, states that asthma and a number of other chronic health conditions originate from a commonly-overlooked problem of Chronic Hyperventilation (chronic over-breathing). Unlike other breathing techniques, The Buteyko Method is not just a series of breathing exercises but rather a comprehensive wellness program aimed at correcting dysfunctional breathing and encouraging a healthier lifestyle.

Among all other natural asthma treatments, The Buteyko Method has been more clinically studied and has received more widespread recognition among health professionals worldwide. The Buteyko Method has been demonstrated as an effective treatment in a number of clinical trials. Citing Dr. Robert Cowie of Calgary, Canada, who led the Buteyko clinical study in Calgary "It's just great...75% control is about as good as anyone has got in any study of asthma. The neat thing about it is that it has no side effects. It's very safe. The Buteyko technique certainly has been shown to be an important adjunct to treatment."

The Buteyko therapy is completely safe when taught by a qualified Buteyko Educator, and a typical course offered by the Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis is a three-hour workshop once a week for three consecutive weeks. Classes are taught in small groups to ensure individual attention. A student can choose to attend a refresher course free of charge within the next twelve months. One year free support to monitor student's progress is included. During a Buteyko course, the participants learn how to control asthma symptoms naturally, how to unblock and clear the nose, the best diet to improve breathing, a healthy way to sleep, and safe and effective ways to exercise in order to achieve long-term asthma control. For people with chronic conditions, an additional benefit of learning the Buteyko Breathing Method is a significant cost reduction that's reflected in less need for medication, devices, ER and doctor visits, as well as missed work days.

There is only one Buteyko educational practice in Minneapolis - St.Paul area, and the Buteyko Clinic's mission is to make the Buteyko Therapy accessible and affordable for everyone. Newly added Buteyko services include, but are not limited to, online courses, private lessons, accelerated workshops for those traveling out of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and monthly online support.

In addition to continuously held Buteyko Method workshops, The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis offers Buteyko wellness school and athletic programs, free lectures and seminars for educational institutions and businesses, and volunteer services for charitable health-crisis organizations.

For details about their programs, visit the Butyeko Clinic USA website www.asthmacare.us

To contract them directly, send an Email to info@asthmacare.us or call 612 337-9075

###

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Health-care reform foes still getting it wrong - Delaware County Daily Times

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 02:53 AM PDT

More than a week after President Barack Obama made history by signing into law a much-overdue health-care reform bill, the sour grapes are still being spewed by his political foes.

It is bad enough that some of the very people who stand to benefit from the reforms are blindly engaging in name-calling and melodramatic rhetoric. Legislators who know better are leveling cheap shots.

Probably the most disturbing is U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who encouraged constituents to "scare" supporters of health care reform, employed violent imagery, purposely perpetuated the myth that health care reform would promote abortion and proclaimed that health care reform supporters were not "real people."

The last pronouncement is particularly insulting to the American intelligence considering that federal legislators do not have the health-care insurance challenges of the typical American citizen.

Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are permitted to avail themselves of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program as soon as they take their oaths of office.

Their choice of plans includes health-maintenance organizations, point-of-service and fee-for-service.

They are not denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions and they can include spouses and dependents in their plans. They reportedly have their own pharmacy in the Capitol and a team of medical professionals on-hand in case of emergency.

Their health-insurance premiums and pharmaceutical costs are negotiable, unlike the prohibitions instituted for most older Americans through the so-called Medicare Reform Act of 2003.

And, while senators pay about $600 a month and representatives pay about $300 a month in premiums, we taxpayers still pay up to 75 percent of our federal legislators' premiums.

Nevertheless, some of those legislators would deny the average American such access to health care because it does not suit their political agendas and the lobbyists who fund them.

They have no qualms about enjoying their federally funded health plans, while more than 46 million Americans are uninsured and premiums continue to spiral for those who are insured.

And, they continue to perpetuate myths about health- care reform.

"I heard one of the Republican leaders say this was going to be Armageddon," noted the president after signing health-care reform into law last week. "Well, two months from now, six months from now, you can check it out."

Obama reiterated some of the basic premises of health- care reform.

"If you like your current insurance, you will keep your current insurance. No government takeover; nobody is changing what you've got if you're happy with it. If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor," said the president.

He noted that more people will be able to keep their doctors because health-care reform will keep their insurance coverage more secure and stable.

Obama also noted that the cost of reform will, in the long run, reduce the deficit he inherited from George W. Bush by more than $1 trillion over the next 20 years. By 2014, when health-insurance exchanges are in place, insurance companies will be forced to offer competitive rates to subscribers who will then have the same choice of plans as federal legislators.

"And when this exchange is up and running, millions of people will get tax breaks to help them afford coverage, which represents the largest middle-class tax cut for health care in history," said Obama.

Critics of health-care reform also continue to contradict themselves. In one breath, they label government involvement in health insurance "socialism" and in the next breath, inaccurately characterize health-care reform as weakening Medicare — which is, in fact, a government-managed health-care insurance plan.

Unsurprisingly, Bachmann, is attempting to repeal health-care reform. She is claiming that it is "unconstitutional" — odd reasoning from someone who endorsed warrantless wiretapping during the Bush administration without regard to Americans' civil rights.

Without a doubt, health-care reform does need tweaking as one would expect from any piece of legislation that must undo decades of insurance abuse.

This week a loophole was discovered in the language of the health-care reform law regarding children with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and asthma. Section 2704 of the law prohibits health-insurance companies from instituting pre-existing condition exclusions for children beginning in six months, but does not guarantee coverage.

To remedy this ambiguity, Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, plans to issue regulations in the coming weeks.

They will specify that children with pre-existing conditions may not be denied access to their parents' health- insurance plans and that insurance companies will no longer be allowed to exclude treatments for pre-existing conditions when insuring children.

The fact that such regulations are required is, in itself, testimony to the need for health-care reform.

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plus 2 more, “Blackcurrant 'may ease asthma' - Sheffield Telegraph”

2010-03-30T07:23:00.001-07:00

plus 2 more, “Blackcurrant 'may ease asthma' - Sheffield Telegraph”

Blackcurrant 'may ease asthma' - Sheffield Telegraph
Asthma inhaler recalled - ONE News
Conference to set the research agenda on Vitamin D in ... - Genetic Engineering News

Blackcurrant 'may ease asthma' - Sheffield Telegraph

Posted: 30 Mar 2010 12:45 AM PDT

A healthy, balanced diet is important for a number of well-established reasons. Asthma medication should not be replaced by blackcurrants until this research has moved on further.

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Asthma inhaler recalled - ONE News

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 05:57 PM PDT

A batch of the asthma inhaler Respigen has been recalled as it might not have exactly the required quantity of active ingredient salbutamol.

The problem batch of the 100mcg inhalation aerosol, number 9F282A, has an expiry date of May 2012.

Distributor Mylan New Zealand says a small number of the blue, reliever-type inhalers, might have quantities of salbutamol that are "out of specification".

Patients are asked to return their inhaler to a pharmacy where they will be given a free replacement.

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Conference to set the research agenda on Vitamin D in ... - Genetic Engineering News

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 08:32 AM PDT

Mar 29 2010, 11:20 AM EST

Conference to set the research agenda on Vitamin D in health and disease

EUREKALERT

Contact: Alex Fernandes
a.fernandes@qmul.ac.uk
020-788-27910
Queen Mary, University of London

An important conference on the actions of Vitamin D on human health is being hosted by Barts and The London Medical School and the MRC Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma.

Vitamin D has been known for some time to be important for healthy bones, now new research suggests it has possible benefits in other aspects of health including immune function, tuberculosis, asthma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, gut function, skin, and the prostate, all of which will be addressed at the one-day event, being held on Tuesday 30 March at the Centre for Health Sciences in Whitechapel, London.

Attended by expert researchers from around the world the conference aims to stimulate debate, advance understanding, and set the research agenda in this exciting and increasingly topical field.

The programme is as follows:

Session 1 Epidemiology and Diabetes

10.15am Dr Elina Hyppnen
University College London
Vitamin D in health and disease insights from epidemiology

10.45am Professor Chantal Mathieu
Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Endocrinology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Vitamin D and type 1 diabetes mellitus

11.15am Dr Barbara Boucher
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes

Session 2 Immunomodulatory actions of Vitamin D

12.00pm Dr Jrgen Schauber
University of Munich, Germany
Vitamin D and the cutaneous innate immune system

12.30pm Professor Margherita Cantorna
Pennsylvania State University, USA
Vitamin D and autoimmune disease

1.00pm Professor Kasia Hawrylowicz
King's College London
Vitamin D, regulatory T cells and allergic disease

Session 3: Clinical aspects 1: prostate and gut

2.15pm Dr Luciano Adorini
Chief Scientific Officer
Intercept Pharma, Italy
Vitamin D receptor agonists in the treatment of inflammatory prostatic disease

2.45pm Dr Julian Walters
Imperial College, London
Vitamin D and the gut

Session 4 Clinical aspects 2: tuberculosis and multiple sclerosis

3.30pm Dr Adrian Martineau
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Vitamin D and tuberculosis

4.30pm Professor George Ebers
Oxford University
Vitamin D and multiple sclerosis

The event will be chaired by Professor Chris Griffiths of the Centre for Health Sciences at Barts and The London Medical School.

Ongoing research into the health benefits of Vitamin D at Barts and The London School of Medicine include a British Lung Foundation-funded TB trial, NIHR-funded and Asthma UK-funded trials in asthma/COPD, and clinical trials in type-2 diabetes.

Notes to editors: Academics will be available for interview on the day of the conference. If you wish to arrange an interview, or attend any of the presentations contact:

Alex Fernandes Communications Office
Queen Mary, University of London
Tel: 020 7882 7910
Mobile: 07932 557 056
a.fernandes@qmul.ac.uk

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plus 3 more, “More kids with chronic health problems - TheDay”

2010-03-29T07:22:00.001-07:00

plus 3 more, “More kids with chronic health problems - TheDay”

More kids with chronic health problems - TheDay
Star Athletes With Asthma - Health.com
Blackcurrants may ease asthma - Thaindian.com
Those without insurance will get help paying for ... - Courier-Journal

More kids with chronic health problems - TheDay

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 01:01 AM PDT

Childhood rates of chronic health problems, including obesity, asthma and learning disabilities, have doubled in just 12 years, a new study reports - to 1 in 4 children in 2006, up from 1 in 8 in 1994.

The New York Times reports that while the researchers did not study the reasons for the increases, they suggested several possible factors: improvements in screening and diagnosis that led to more reporting of the chronic conditions; the rise in childhood obesity, which can lead to other problems; and the increasing survival of premature babies and children with cancer and other diseases, who are more likely to have chronic health problems.

The study appeared in the Feb. 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

- Harry Jackson Jr., St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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Star Athletes With Asthma - Health.com

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 08:57 PM PDT

If they can do it...

Asthma and athletics might seem like they don't mix. Most sports require fitness and endurance, and asthma—a respiratory condition that causes shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing—can make working out difficult. Exercise, in fact, is one of the most common triggers of asthma attacks (along with allergies and infection).

But the record books are riddled with athletes who overcame asthma on their way to victory. Some developed asthma as children; others were already at the top of their game. Either way, asthma didn't stop them from success on the track, field, court—or in the pool.

Next: Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Credit: LIFE.com/Health.com

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Blackcurrants may ease asthma - Thaindian.com

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 01:37 AM PDT

London, March 29 (IANS) Natural chemicals from blackcurrants may ease breathing in some types of asthma, says a new study.
Researchers from Plant & Food Research (PFR), a New Zealand government owned company, found a compound from blackcurrants that may reduce lung inflammation with a multi-action assault in allergy-induced asthma.

The compound was found in lab experiments to enhance the natural defence mechanisms in lung tissue by both suppressing inflammation-causing reactions and minimising inflammation.

Inflammation is a process by which the body's white blood cells and chemicals protect us from infection and foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses.

Fruit consumption has been shown to reduce symptoms in allergy-induced asthma yet this research is the first to give insights into the mechanism by which this may occur.

Researchers identified that the component, epigallocatechin, reduced inflammation in lung tissue. Epigallocatechin is a known antioxidant and a major component of proanthocyanidins found in blackcurrants.

This study shows that epigallocatechin works in conjunction with other natural immune responses that occur at the same time to reduce inflammation.

"To find natural compounds that potentially reduce lung inflammation and complement the body's own immune response is an exciting breakthrough," says Roger Hurst of PFR, who led the study.

When the lungs are exposed to allergens, the body's natural response is to attack the perceived foreign body which in some individuals results in long-term inflammation, says a PFR release.

Selective compounds found in fruit and vegetables may work together with the body's own natural defence mechanism to suppress long-term lung inflammation.

The findings were published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.

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Those without insurance will get help paying for ... - Courier-Journal

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 11:56 PM PDT

When he had health insurance, Tyrone Johnson's asthma wasn't such a threat.

"I wasn't going to the emergency room all the time. I felt much more healthy, being able to go to the doctor when I was feeling bad, or being able to get (prescription) refills," said Johnson, 31, who lives in the Okolona area.

"It's hard without insurance."

Johnson — who lost health insurance when he changed jobs about a year ago, then was laid off — is one of about 32 million Americans who eventually could gain health coverage under the new reform law.

The law provides subsidies to help households making up to four times the federal poverty level ($88,200 for a family of four) buy health insurance. It also caps premiums for some people.

But those subsidies won't start until 2014, the same year the law requires most Americans to obtain health coverage.

That disappoints Johnson, who said he could use the help today. By 2014, "I'm sure I'll probably have a job (that provides) health insurance," he said.

His asthma isn't too much of a problem as long as he can regularly get medication, such as inhalers and liquid nebulizer medicine.

But when he can't afford medications, he risks getting very sick, like the time he "was pretty much ready to die" and went to an emergency room. Johnson said he ended up in a hospital intensive-care unit for about a week.

The reform law's subsidies will help people who "make enough to pay their rent, but not enough to pay for a doctor visit," said Vivianne Griffiths, a University of Louisville nurse practitioner who treated Johnson last week at the Harambee Nursing Center in Smoketown.

The increased access to care will help both people with chronic illnesses like Johnson and those who are healthy, she said.

"Lots of our patients (are very ill) by the time they get to us," Griffiths said. For example, "if they've had hypertension, they haven't consistently gone anywhere to get their blood pressure taken care of, which means that they could have an enlarged heart after so many years."

The law could also help healthy people afford preventive care, such as mammograms or cancer screenings, "to have early detection of things that might be going wrong." That could reduce health-care spending, Griffiths said.

Reporter Patrick Howington can be reached at (502) 582-4229.

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plus 3 more, “Cure asthma by eating Blackcurrants - Khaleej Times”

2010-03-28T07:37:00.001-07:00

plus 3 more, “Cure asthma by eating Blackcurrants - Khaleej Times”

Cure asthma by eating Blackcurrants - Khaleej Times
Asthma relief in Pakistan salt mine - The Independent
The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis Extends Its ... - PR.com
Asthma UK Comment On The Environmental Audit Committee ... - Medical News Today

Cure asthma by eating Blackcurrants - Khaleej Times

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 01:02 AM PDT

Eating blackcurrant's may help asthma sufferers breathe more easily, according to a study by New Zealand company Plant and Food Research.

The study, led by Dr Roger Hurst and published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, found that the compound works together with the body's own natural defence mechanism to suppress long-term lung inflammation.

The research, shows that natural chemicals found in the fruit may help breathing in some types of asthma.

They also found that a compound in blackcurrants, epigallocatechin, may reduce lung inflammation in allergy-induced asthma.

Blackcurrant's also contain another inflammation-reducing group of compounds, known as anthocyanins, reports telegraph.co.uk.

They are known for their antioxidant properties and have been shown by Hurst's research group to also complement the body's own natural immune responses.

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Asthma relief in Pakistan salt mine - The Independent

Posted: 27 Mar 2010 08:51 PM PDT

A centuries-old salt mine in Pakistan is offering experimental asthma therapy, attracting patients from all over the world.

Khewra, billed as the world's second largest salt mine, has for centuries extracted the crucial mineral for export and has become a tourist attraction complete with a salt mosque and an electric train.

Now, the mine is cashing in on salt therapy, already a draw in the salt mines of eastern Europe and a synthetic clinic in Britain.

Clinics claim that asthma patients and sufferers of other respiratory illnesses benefit from inhaling antibacterial salt particles in a sterile environment, helping loosen mucus and clear the lung passages.

"We don't use any medicine, because the asthmatic allergy patients recover through the air, so we provide them an environment in which their breathing can improve," said Akhlaq Bukhari, head doctor at the Khewra clinic.

Although there have been few clinical studies, salt caves are seen by some as a therapeutic alternative to drugs and there are natural and synthetic salt caves springing up all over the world.

While other clinics offer treatment for bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, and even ear infections, Shah says the Khewra clinic only treats patients whose asthma is triggered by allergies.

"I have come here all the way from Canada. I could not recover there through medicine, but I am feeling better since my arrival here," said Naeem Shamsher, a civil engineer from Canada.

Shamsher had tried medicine doled out by doctors back home but felt little relief and struggled to walk far without becoming breathless, so relatives in Pakistan suggested he visit the Khewra Mines.

"Now I can run and even play soccer just after spending three days in the mine," said Shamsher, who says he feels 60 percent better after the treatment.

The mine, located 160 kilometres (100 miles) south of Pakistan's capital Islamabad, was discovered in 320 BC by Alexander's troops and first developed by British colonial rulers in 1872, mine officials say.

Located deep underground in the mine, the asthma clinic resembles an upmarket guesthouse, with 12 beds covered in white sheets and red blankets in six independent cabins separated with salt bricks and softly lit by lamps.

There is a reception area decorated with salt lamps and a lounge complete with a fountain, sofas and a television set.

The walls and roof of the clinic are made from pure salt and a fan helps maintain the temperature and humidity, creating the so-called "micro-climate" that offers patients relief, Shah says.

A 10-day course at the Khewra Mines salt therapy centre costs 5,300 rupees (62 dollars), with 11 hours a day spent in the caves while nights are spent in a nearby hospital.

Since opening in 2007, the clinic has treated about 500 patients. Shah claims that 60 percent of patients experience some relief from their symptoms and says patients have come from as far as Britain and Saudi Arabia.

But Shahid Abbas, a doctor who runs the private Allergy and Asthma Centre in Islamabad, told AFP that although an asthma or allergy sufferer may get temporary relief, there is no quick-fix cure.

"There is no scientific proof that a person can permanently get rid of asthma by breathing in a salt mine or in a particular environment," he said.

Khaled Sajjad Khokhar, managing director of the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, a government body which owns the mine, says they will assess the success of the Khewra clinic before approving its expansion to 100 beds.

But some patients are returning, happy to get even temporary relief.

"This hospital is a blessing, it gave me a second life. I never had problems breathing after spending 10 days over there in 2007," said Pakistani patient Adnan Khan, on his second visit to the clinic.

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The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis Extends Its ... - PR.com

Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:55 PM PDT

For details about their programs, visit the Butyeko Clinic USA website www.asthmacare.us

To contract them directly, send an Email to info@asthmacare.us or call 612 337-9075

###

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Asthma UK Comment On The Environmental Audit Committee ... - Medical News Today

Posted: 24 Mar 2010 03:58 AM PDT

Main Category: Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Also Included In: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 24 Mar 2010 - 4:00 PDT

email to a friend printer friendly view / write opinions

Neil Churchill, Chief Executive of Asthma UK says: 'We agree that awareness needs to be raised and behaviour needs to change if air quality targets are to be met. It's shocking that the UK is so far behind on its commitments.

'We also warmly welcome the Committee's recommendation for the Government to take better account of the health impacts of poor air quality. If the government is serious about pushing the prevention agenda this is precisely the kind of action it needs to take. Air quality is of prime concern to people with asthma and two thirds tell us that traffic fumes trigger their asthma symptoms. 29% say that a reduction in air pollution is the single thing that would make the most difference to their quality of life in relation to their asthma. Quantifying the impact of pollution on health and quality of life, as well as the costs to the NHS and the economy, would open people's eyes to the importance of improving air quality.'

Source
Asthma UK

Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions. Contact Our News Editors For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

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plus 2 more, “White Children More Prone to Asthma Than Indians, Bangladeshis - Med India”

2010-03-27T07:03:00.001-07:00

plus 2 more, “White Children More Prone to Asthma Than Indians, Bangladeshis - Med India”

White Children More Prone to Asthma Than Indians, Bangladeshis - Med India
Volunteers needed for asthma research - Mansfield News Journal
Allergy shots achieve best results - Houma Courier

White Children More Prone to Asthma Than Indians, Bangladeshis - Med India

Posted: 27 Mar 2010 04:59 AM PDT

In the final sample for analysis, there were 1219 children who identified themselves as 'White UK', 933 'Black Caribbean', 1095 'Black African', 459 'Indian', 215 'Pakistani', 392 'Bangladeshi' and 299 'Mixed White UK and Black Caribbean'.

"Social and environmental factors may influence risk of asthma through early life exposures regulating the allergic inflammatory response and/or later life exposures to allergens. A positive association between body mass index (BMI) and asthma has also been reported. We aimed to investigate the influence of these factors on ethnic differences in asthma prevalence," said Whitrow and Harding.

The researchers found that a family history of asthma and psychological well being were consistent correlates for asthma regardless of ethnicity.

They observed that less than six years of residence in the UK had an independent protective effect for Black Caribbeans and Black Africans, possibly reflecting continuing protection from early life exposures in their home countries.

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Volunteers needed for asthma research - Mansfield News Journal

Posted: 27 Mar 2010 12:27 AM PDT

MANSFIELD -- North central Ohio adults with asthma can help a medical research team from Madison, Wisc., prepare a study targeting the rural Midwest.

David Van Sickle, a post doctoral fellow studying population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin, said scientists are seeking 150 asthmatics who use inhalers.

Volunteers will be asked to record their symptoms, when and where they happen, using an innovative tool that Reciprocal Sciences unveiled last year. The device, called the Spiroscout, is a GPS-enabled inhaler that pinpoints the exact geographic location and time when the inhaler is used.

"Our analyses of national survey data suggest that asthma is as prevalent in rural areas as in urban areas," said Teresa Morrison, medical epidemiologist in the Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch at the federal Centers for Disease Control. "Our goal is to document patterns of asthma symptoms among rural residents in Midwestern states, and learn more about possible environmental exposures that potentially lead to asthma attacks."

Debora Ortega-Carr, a doctor at Midwest Allergy and Asthma Associates on Cline Avenue, said most data suggests higher frequency of asthma triggers in cities than in rural areas. She also noted a significant genetic component.

"We know from previous studies in rural areas that grain, dust and tobacco smoke can all trigger asthma, but we want this study to generate new hypotheses," Van Sickle said. "We also don't want to enter the study with too many pre-existing ideas.

"At the individual level, people will learn about new environments or new triggers, and at the aggregate level, we hope to learn which work places or occupations are triggers."

There is no cost to participate and there is no risk involved. Participants will receive a small gift card.

"We don't change anyone's medication or dosage, we're just tracking," Van Sickle said.

For information, call 608-554-0750.

jkinton@nncogannett.com 419-521-7220

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Allergy shots achieve best results - Houma Courier

Posted: 27 Mar 2010 06:04 AM PDT

Few, however, are using what may be the most effective treatment for uncontrolled symptoms: immunotherapy, or what most people know as allergy shots. The practice of injecting people with increasing amounts of the substances they are allergic to, so they can build gradual tolerance, is nearly 100 years old.

But U.S. surveys suggest shots are used by just 5 percent of nasal allergy patients.

"Inconvenience is the most likely reason," says Linda Cox, an allergist in Fort Lauderdale. A typical treatment plan calls for a patient to come to a medical office once a week for several months, get a shot and wait 30 minutes (in case a rare, dangerous reaction occurs) and then continue less frequent shots for months or years more.

There's also a needle "fear factor," says Stanley Fineman, an Atlanta allergist and vice president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. And costs for the shots and office visits, which vary based on insurance coverage and other factors, may play a role.

But a recent study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology showed children who get allergy shots had lower health care costs over 18 months than otherwise similar children. The cost of their shots, about $600, was more than made up by drug savings and fewer doctors' visits and hospitalizations, says Cox, who led the study. Immunotherapy also might help prevent asthma, a costly life-long condition.

So allergists are working to make the therapy more appealing. Most efforts fall into two categories: non-shot alternatives and faster shot schedules.

Liquid or pill alternatives

Immunotherapy without shots is standard in Europe. There, most doctors prescribe "sublingual immunotherapy." Patients get liquids or pills containing extracts of grass pollen, dust mites, ragweed or other allergens and put a bit under their tongues at home each day.

But none of these products has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Some U.S. physicians prescribe sublingual use of liquid extracts approved for injections - but that is an unproven practice. And some studies on sublingual products under development have failed to show they work better than placebos.

That is changing, though. In one new study, a daily sublingual grass pollen pill reduced symptoms and medication use 26 percent in children and teens, says Michael Blaiss, clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Blaiss, a consultant to the drug's maker, Merck, presented the data at a recent meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. A study in adults found similar results, he says.

The pills have not been compared with shots and might cost more. They are not available now.

What is increasingly available: faster shot schedules. In so-called rush immunotherapy, allergists give patients numerous shots over one to three days to quickly build tolerance so patients can soon start coming just once or twice a month. In the somewhat slower "cluster" technique, patients might come once or twice a week for a month and get two or three shots at each visit to get a faster start. These patients all get antihistamines, steroids or other drugs to prevent dangerous reactions.

Cox says the cluster technique is more widely used and thought safer. But Fineman says he safely gives rush patients nine to 20 injections in a day.

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plus 2 more, “Whites More likely to Develop Asthma Than Indian ... - TopNews United States”

2010-03-26T07:21:00.001-07:00

plus 2 more, “Whites More likely to Develop Asthma Than Indian ... - TopNews United States”

Whites More likely to Develop Asthma Than Indian ... - TopNews United States
Volunteers needed for asthma research - Mansfield News Journal
'Miracle' asthma cure - Health 24

Whites More likely to Develop Asthma Than Indian ... - TopNews United States

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 04:46 AM PDT

Results of a recent UK study suggest that white children are more likely to have asthma than children of Indian and Bangladeshi heritage.

The team of researchers, representing the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit of the Medical Research Council, UK, used students, between the age of 11 and 13, from 51 schools in London as subjects for their study.

In the study, it was found that the condition prevailed less in Indian and Bangladeshi girls and Black African boys and girls as compared to the white boys and girls.

The study also showed that children, within their ethnic groups, having a family history of asthma or a generally poor mental health, were more likely to develop the breathing problem.

Another data suggested that increased body mass index (BMI), particularly in Black Africans, also increased the risk of developing asthma of a child.

Melissa J. Whitrow, PhD, and Seeromanie Harding, MSc, both of the Medical Research Council in Glasgow, Scotland, who were a part of the study, wrote, "The results suggest a role for socio-environmental factors in patterning ethnic differences in asthma in adolescence".

The details of the study can be found in the online journal BMC Pediatrics.

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Volunteers needed for asthma research - Mansfield News Journal

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 03:27 AM PDT

MANSFIELD -- North central Ohio adults with asthma can help a medical research team from Madison, Wisc., prepare a study targeting the rural Midwest.

David Van Sickle, a post doctoral fellow studying population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin, said scientists are seeking 150 asthmatics who use inhalers.

"At the individual level, people will learn about new environments or new triggers, and at the aggregate level, we hope to learn which work places or occupations are triggers."

There is no cost to participate and there is no risk involved. Participants will receive a small gift card.

"We don't change anyone's medication or dosage, we're just tracking," Van Sickle said.

For information, call 608-554-0750.

jkinton@nncogannett.com 419-521-7220

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'Miracle' asthma cure - Health 24

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 02:44 AM PDT

Last updated: Friday, March 26, 2010 Print

A centuries-old salt mine in Pakistan is offering experimental asthma therapy, attracting patients from all over the world.

Now, the mine is cashing in on salt therapy, already a draw in the salt mines of eastern Europe and a synthetic clinic in Britain.

Recover through the air

Although there have been few clinical studies, salt caves are seen by some as a therapeutic alternative to drugs and there are natural and synthetic salt caves springing up all over the world.

While other clinics offer treatment for bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, and even ear infections, Shah says the Khewra clinic only treats patients whose asthma is triggered by allergies.

"I have come here all the way from Canada. I could not recover there through medicine, but I am feeling better since my arrival here," said Naeem Shamsher, a civil engineer from Canada.

Shamsher had tried medicine doled out by doctors back home, but felt little relief and struggled to walk far without becoming breathless, so relatives in Pakistan suggested he visit the Khewra Mines.

"Now I can run and even play soccer just after spending three days in the mine," said Shamsher, who says he feels 60% better after the treatment.

'Upmarket guesthouse'

The mine, located 160km south of Pakistan's capital Islamabad, was discovered in 320 BC by Alexander's troops and first developed by British colonial rulers in 1872, mine officials say.

There is a reception area decorated with salt lamps and a lounge complete with a fountain, sofas and a television set.

The walls and roof of the clinic are made from pure salt and a fan helps maintain the temperature and humidity, creating the so-called "micro-climate" that offers patients relief, Shah says.

A 10-day course at the Khewra Mines salt therapy centre costs 5,300 rupees (R460), with 11 hours a day spent in the caves while nights are spent in a nearby hospital.

60% of patients experience relief

Since opening in 2007, the clinic has treated about 500 patients. Shah claims that 60% of patients experience some relief from their symptoms and says patients have come from as far as Britain and Saudi Arabia.

Science is lacking

But Shahid Abbas, a doctor who runs the private Allergy and Asthma Centre in Islamabad, told AFP that although an asthma or allergy sufferer may get temporary relief, there is no quick-fix cure.

"There is no scientific proof that a person can permanently get rid of asthma by breathing in a salt mine or in a particular environment," he said.

But some patients are returning, happy to get even temporary relief.

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Posted: 25 Mar 2010 12:44 AM PDT

Low vitamin D levels associated with higher rates of asthma among kids

March 18th, 2010 WASHINGTON - African American children with asthma in metropolitan Washington, DC, are significantly more likely to have low levels of vitamin D than healthy African American children, researchers have claimed. The study by researchers at Children's National Medical Center has been published in The Journal of Pediatrics.

Mum's exposure to BPA may increase child asthma risk

February 4th, 2010 WASHINGTON - A mother's exposure to bisphenol A, a chemical used to make everything from plastic water bottles and food packaging to sunglasses and CDs, may increase the odds that her children will develop asthma, says a new study. Studies have linked BPA exposure to reproductive disorders, obesity, abnormal brain development as well as breast and prostate cancers, and in January the Food and Drug Administration announced that it was concerned about "the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and young children." Now, mouse experiments by University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have produced evidence that a mother's exposure to BPA may also increase the odds that her children will develop asthma.

Mum's exposure to some plastic may increase kid's asthma risk

February 4th, 2010 WASHINGTON - A pregnant or lactating woman's exposure to plastic used in water bottles, sunglasses, eyeglass lenses, DVDs, and CDs may increase the risk of asthma in her children. Scientists have been warning of the negative effects of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in the plastic for some everyday products.

Porridge 'can help protect against asthma'

January 20th, 2010 LONDON - Feed your child porridge from an early age to protect him/her against asthma, suggests a new research. In the study, researchers found that the risk of asthma later in childhood was reduced by almost two-thirds in babies first fed oats before they reach five months, compared with those introduced to them later, reports The Daily Express.

Educated people suffer less from asthma

December 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has found that individuals suffering from asthma fare much better when they have a stronger educational background. According to researchers, having less than 12 years of formal schooling is associated with worse asthma symptoms.

Rhinitis 'quadruples chance of an asthma attack'

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Educational home visits may improve asthma symptoms in kids

December 1st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Few home visits by health care professionals to educate kids with asthma about basic strategies for earlier symptom recognition and medication use can significantly help improve the condition, say researchers. John Hopkins research team suggests that in-the-home demonstration and training on the proper use of inhalers by an asthma specialist and a discussion with the family about regular access to a pediatrician can be helpful.

Maternal depression can worsen asthma in kids

November 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Maternal depression can worsen asthma symptoms in children, says a new study. Analysing data from interviews with 262 mothers, Johns Hopkins investigators found that children whose mums had more depressive symptoms had more frequent asthma symptoms during the six-month study.

Smoking can harm asthma patients

November 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Tobacco smoke can prove extremely harmful for patients with asthma, rhinitis and nasal obstruction, according to an international health expert. Smoking has always been associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Both genetics and environmental factors determine asthma risk

November 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - It's not just genes, environmental exposure too determines if a person would develop asthma, says a leading expert. Dr. Fernando D. Martinez, director of Arizona Respiratory Center, said that 39 potential "asthma genes" have already been identified.

Intake of folic acid supplements in late pregnancy could cause asthma in kids

November 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Folic acid supplements taken by mothers in late pregnancy could lead to allergic asthma in their children at the age of 3 to 5 years, according to a study. The study by University of Adelaide's Robinson Institute suggests that the timing of supplementation in pregnancy is important.

Expectant mums shouldn't give up asthma medication: Study

October 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Women who shun asthma medications during pregnancy face increased risk of transmitting the condition to their offspring, reveals a new study. The research team from the Universite de Montreal, the Hopital du Sacre-Cur de Montreal and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre has revealed that 32.6 percent of children born to mothers who neglected to treat their asthma during pregnancy developed the respiratory illnessin later life.

Chronic rhinosinusitis patients prone to other chronic illnesses too

October 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Patients of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) are also prone to suffer from other chronic illnesses like asthma, hypertension and arthritis, according to a study. The study used the electronic records of 1,970,695 patients to determine whether there was a relationship between CRS and other chronic conditions.

Asthmatic kids more vulnerable to H1N1 virus

September 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Children suffering from asthma are at an increased risk of contracting H1N1 virus, warns an expert. While talking to students and their parents at Thurgood Marshall Elementary, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius highlighted the work of the Philadelphia MCAN project as a model for childhood asthma management.

Daycare doesn't protect kids against asthma, allergy

September 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Contrary to popular belief, taking children to day care might not make them immune to asthma and allergies, say researchers. Children in daycare definitely get more illnesses and experience more respiratory symptoms as a result, any perceived protection these exposures afford against asthma and allergy seem to disappear by the time the child hits the age of eight.

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How does ethnicity affect asthma prevalence? - Science Centric

Posted: 25 Mar 2010 03:43 AM PDT

A study of UK schoolchildren has revealed that Black Africans, Indians and Bangladeshis have a similar or lower prevalence of asthma than White children, while Black Caribbean and Mixed Black Caribbean/White boys are more likely to have asthma. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Pediatrics studied the occurrence of asthma, investigating ethnic differences in risk factors.

Melissa Whitrow and Seeromanie Harding from the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit of the Medical Research Council, UK, used data taken from 51 London schools to investigate a random selection of 11-13 year old pupils. The final sample for analysis included 1219 children who identified themselves as 'White UK,' 933 'Black Caribbean,' 1095 'Black African,' 459 'Indian,' 215 'Pakistani,' 392 'Bangladeshi' and 299 'Mixed White UK and Black Caribbean.'

According to Whitrow and Harding, 'Social and environmental factors may influence risk of asthma through early life exposures regulating the allergic inflammatory response and/or later life exposures to allergens. A positive association between body mass index (BMI) and asthma has also been reported. We aimed to investigate the influence of these factors on ethnic differences in asthma prevalence.'

The researchers found that a family history of asthma and psychological well-being were consistent correlates for asthma regardless of ethnicity. Less than six years of residence in the UK had an independent protective effect for Black Caribbeans and Black Africans, possibly reflecting continuing protection from early life exposures in their home countries. A gender difference was observed for Indians and Bangladeshis, with less asthma in girls than boys. Speaking about these results, the authors said, 'These findings point to early protective influences which are not properly understood. International comparisons could provide useful insights into prevention of asthma, for ethnic minority children and for all children.'

Source: BioMed Central

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School head and staff suspended over asthma tragedy - Stockport Express

Posted: 25 Mar 2010 03:50 AM PDT

Five members of staff have been suspended from a school where an 11-year-old boy was left dying in a corridor during an asthma attack.

The move comes after an inquest jury ruled a catalogue of errors at Offerton High School in Stockport 'significantly contributed' to Sam Linton's death.

We can reveal that those suspended include headteacher Evelyn Leslie and Jan Ford – the teacher who told Sam to sit in a corridor after he became unwell. But Sam's parents said the move was 'too little, too late'.

Dad Paul Linton, 45, said: "This is a knee-jerk reaction. If they were going to suspend the staff they should have done it as soon as he died."

The other three suspended workers are understood to be support staff.

The suspensions come as part of a new investigation, launched by the school and council in the light of the inquest result.

A council spokesman said the five had been suspended 'without prejudice' pending the outcome.

The inquest heard how Sam was seen wheezing and continuously using his inhaler at school between 12.20-3.30pm - but staff failed to dial 999. Sam's mum Karen was eventually called to take him to hospital and found him grey with his lips blue.

She rushed him to Stepping Hill Hospital but it was too late to save Sam and he died just two hours later.

The inquest, at Stockport Coroner's Court, returned a verdict of death by natural causes 'significantly contributed to' by neglect.

The jury ruled that Offerton High School had failed to implement an in-school asthma policy, failed to train staff in dealing with asthma, failed to keep a health care plan, failed to share information with staff about Sam's asthma attacks and failed to monitor Sam's condition on the day of his death.

It was later revealed that Stockport council had three times decided not to hold a serious case review – instead having an internal management review.

The council said the latest probe came 'in the light of the detailed evidence presented to the inquest, and the verdict reached by the jury'.

A spokesman said: "While it has been some time since Sam's death there has not been a period of inactivity.

"Immediately following Sam's death, the governing body reviewed the handling of pupils' medical needs relating to asthma and other medical conditions, and has adapted systems and practices at the school.

"While the case did not meet the criteria for a serious case review the panel immediately commissioned an independent management review as all agreed that there were lessons to be learned."

Ms Ford declined to comment last night. Ms Leslie could not be contacted.

Sam's family's representative Jonathan Betts said: "The council's response to this tragic death has been a lesson in how to create an inexcusable delay in undertaking what was an urgent investigation and instead generate paperwork and reports.

"The council may say there hasn't been a period of inactivity but Sam's family beg to differ, given his tragic death occurred in December 2007."

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plus 2 more, “The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis Extends Its ... - PR.com”

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plus 2 more, “The Buteyko Breathing Clinic in Minneapolis Extends Its ... - PR.com”

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Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:55 PM PDT

For details about their programs, visit the Butyeko Clinic USA website www.asthmacare.us

To contract them directly, send an Email to info@asthmacare.us or call 612 337-9075

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Can you tell from spirometry alone if the curved-in ... - HealthCentral.com

Posted: 24 Mar 2010 04:20 AM PDT

There really is no one difinitive test to diagnose asthma or COPD, spirometry is just one of the test that can help a doctor diagnose.

Spirometry can help a doctor determine if you have an obstructed disease, which will be represented by a concave pattern on the expiratory portion of the FVC. I explain this in this post . Since both COPD and Asthma are obstructive airway diseases, further testing will be needed to differentiate between the two. For further information on how your doctor might further diagnose asthma, check out this post .

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School head and staff suspended over asthma tragedy - Manchester Evening News

Posted: 24 Mar 2010 06:00 AM PDT