NIH Study Finds Xolair Relieves Seasonal Asthma Attacks in Youth - Symptoms Reduced in Children and Young People with Moderate to Severe Disease

A drug that targets the antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE), a key player in asthma, nearly eliminated seasonal increases in asthma attacks and decreased asthma symptoms among young people living in inner city environments, a clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health has found. The findings appear in the March 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. This investigational use of the drug omalizumab, sold under the brand name Xolair, was conducted in eight U.S. cities. “We know that treatment based on NIH asthma guidelines is generally effective in managing the disease, but many patients still experience asthma attacks requiring visits to emergency rooms and hospitalizations,” says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “The results of this study are extremely promising because they show that the addition of omalizumab to the NIH guidelines-based therapy for asthma offers improved asthma control and the potential to decrease the burden of this chronic disease in children and adolescents.” In the United States, asthma affects approximately 18 million adults and 7 million children under the age of 18. . read more.

Sulfa allergy: Which medications should I avoid?

I have a sulfa allergy. How can I tell if a medicine contains sulfa? Antibiotics containing chemicals called sulfonamides can trigger a reaction if you have a sulfa allergy. Examples of sulfonamide antibiotics include the combination drug trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Septra, Bactrim). Other types of sulfa medications may trigger a reaction in some people who have a sulfa allergy. . read more.