Work Stress Linked to Higher Asthma Risk

People who regularly feel stressed out by their jobs may have a higher risk of developing asthma than those with a more-relaxed work atmosphere, a new study suggests. The new findings, published online April 27th in Allergy, are the first to show an association between work stress and later asthma risk, according to the researchers. The investigators found that among more than 5,100 adults they followed for nearly a decade, those who reported high job stress at the outset were twice as likely as those with low levels of work stress to develop asthma. . read more.

Asthma Improvements Do Not Persist When Long-Term Therapy Is Stopped

Findings published in the May Journal of Pediatrics suggest that improvements in asthma control and airway responsiveness achieved during long-term treatment with budesonide or nedocromil do not persist when treatment is discontinued. The Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP), a randomized trial comparing three treatments for mild to moderate asthma over 4.3 years, showed that budesonide and nedocromil improved asthma control compared to placebo. . read more.

Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollutants Is Linked to Early Wheeze

Prenatal exposure to air pollutants is associated with wheezing in infants and toddlers, researchers reported online April 27th in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. "The data support the hypothesis that the risk of respiratory symptoms in early childhood and possibly in later life may be programmed by environment hazards during the prenatal period when the respiratory system is completing its growth and maturation. . " . . read more.

7 Signs That Your Child May Have Exercise-Induced Asthma

When exercise leads to wheezing or coughing, people often blame the symptoms on being out of shape. But a new study shows that, in children at least, there may be more to the story. In fact, these symptoms were often accompanied by a decrease in lung function—a hallmark of asthma—even when children had no prior history of asthma or allergies. . read more.

Peanut Allergies on the Rise

The prevalence of peanut allergy among children tripled between 1997 and 2008, researchers found. Respondents to a telephone survey reported that 1.4% of children had peanut allergies, up from just 0.4% a decade earlier, Scott Sicherer, MD, of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues reported in the May 12 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. "Although the total population prevalence of self-reported peanut and/or tree nut allergy did not increase among adults since 1997, there was a significant rise in self-reported allergies among children," the researchers wrote. . read more.

Burger and Fries Worsen Asthma, Study Suggests

A burger and fries are not only bad for the waistline, they might also exacerbate asthma, a new study suggests. Patients with asthma who ate a high-fat meal had increased inflammation in their airways soon afterward, and did not respond as well to treatment as those who ate a low-fat meal, the researchers found. The results provide more evidence that environmental factors, such as diet, can influence the development of asthma, which has increased dramatically in recent years in westernized countries where high-fat diets are common. In 2007, about 34.1 million Americans had asthma, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. From 1980 through 1994, the prevalence of asthma increased 75 percent. While the results are preliminary, they suggest cutting down on fat might be one way to help control asthma. . read more.

Room for Debate: A Running Commentary on the News - The Squishy Science of Food Allergies

A federal report released last week found that while many more children and adults are reporting food allergies, no clear agreement exists on what a food allergy is or how to test for one. An article in Pediatrics in November 2009, for example, indicated that doctor visits for food allergies among children tripled from 1993 to 2006. What accounts for this increase in reported incidence of allergies: doctors making overly broad diagnoses, unreliable tests or anxious parents? What are some reasons or theories why more people now appear to be affected than in the past?. . read more.

I Can’t Eat That. I’m Allergic.

When Robert Aronowitz sees friends he grew up with, he braces himself for their usual greeting. “Hey, Snot Nose. How are you doing?” Yes, “Snot Nose” was his nickname then, and even now, his friends like to remind him of it. “I was swept up twice a week from the streets of Brooklyn for allergy shots,” said Dr. Aronwwitz, a professor of history and sociology of science. Did they help? Did he even have allergies? “Who knows?” Dr. Aronowitz said. But that experience helps him understand the tendency today to blame allergies for tiredness, upset stomach, or any rash or illness. Food allergies are real and can be life-threatening. It would be folly to dismiss them. . read more.

Food Allergies Take a Toll on Families and Finances

A debate has broken out over how many people in this country really have food allergies. But whatever the numbers, parents whose children have serious reactions to certain foods can attest to the distress — and high financial costs — such allergies can cause. . read more.

Doctors Cast Doubt on Many Reports of Food Allergies

Many who think they have food allergies actually do not. A new report, commissioned by the federal government, finds the field is rife with poorly done studies, misdiagnoses and tests that can give misleading results. While there is no doubt that people can be allergic to certain foods, with reproducible responses ranging from a rash to a severe life-threatening reaction, the true incidence of food allergies is only about 8 percent for children and less than 5 percent for adults. . . Yet about 30 percent of the population believe they have food allergies. . read more.

When Treating One Worker’s Allergy Sets Off Another’s

It’s a case of King Solomon meets the Americans With Disabilities Act. In her first week at a new job, Emily Kysel suffered an allergy attack so severe that she had to go home early one day. A co-worker was eating buffalo wings at her desk, and the wings contained paprika, to which Ms. Kysel, 24, has a rare and potentially fatal allergy. She nearly died five years ago from eating chili, and since then her allergy has sent her to the emergency room five times and caused her to jab herself with an anti-allergy injection 11 times, sometimes from just inhaling paprika nearby. . . Fearing a fatal encounter with paprika, Ms. Kysel’s parents and grandparents chipped in to buy her an allergy-detection dog, which works much like a narcotics-sniffing dog. . read more.

In Infants with Egg or Milk Allergy, Can Future Peanut Allergy Be Predicted?

Early results from a study of more than 500 infants with egg or milk allergy indicate that they are highly likely to test positive for allergic antibodies that are specific to peanuts. This unexpected finding suggests that these infants are at risk for developing peanut allergy later in life and should be evaluated by a health care professional before introducing peanuts into their diet. . read more.

Asthma & Allergies May 2010: Your guide to breathing easy and living a healthy, active life.

Given the high incidences, it is safe to assume that nearly every extended family in the U.S.has at least one member with allergies or asthma. In fact, chances are we all know someone who is currently suffering from symptoms of allergic rhinitis. This chronic condition affects between 10 and 30 percent of all adults, and as many as 40 percent of children. It accounts for approximately 1.5 million school days missed per year and approximately 28 million days of lost productivity. And, the problem is growing. There has been a 100 percent increase in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in each of the last three decades in developed countries. . read more.

Food Allergy Awareness Week 2010: May 9–15, 2010

This year, Food Allergy Awareness Week is May 9–15. First established in 1997 by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), a patient and family advocacy organization, this week is set aside each year to focus public attention on this growing health problem. FAAN’s theme for this year, Respect Every Bite, reminds us of the daily threat faced by people with food allergy, as exposure to even trace amounts of allergenic foods can cause allergic symptoms. . read more.

Food supplements and medications during pregnancy

It has long been known that the choices you make during pregnancy can have a lasting impact, but new research shows folate levels and food allergen intake during pregnancy could influence whether your child will develop food allergies or asthma. Excessive folate levels and early allergen avoidance during pregnancy may make a difference in your baby's risk of developing allergic disease. . read more.