http://www.health.am/allergies/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/peanut-allergy-linked-to-worse-asthma-in-kids/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/peanut-allergy-linked-to-worse-asthma-in-kids/ Among children and teenagers with asthma, those who also have peanut allergies may have more or more-severe asthma attacks, a new study suggests. Researchers found that among 160 5- to 18-year-olds with asthma seen at their center, the 46 with peanut allergies generally had more hospitalizations for asthma exacerbations than children without the food allergy. They also had a higher rate of treatment with oral corticosteroids—anti-inflammatory drugs given for a short period to control severe asthma symptoms. Of children and teens with peanut allergy, 23 percent had ever been hospitalized for asthma after the age of 3. That compared with 16 percent of those without peanut allergy.  Allergy news 2010-03-11T18:26:01-08:00 http://www.health.am/allergies/more/climate-change-may-extend-allergy-season/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/climate-change-may-extend-allergy-season/ Sneezing, congestion, and runny noses from hay fever may be lasting longer because climate change may be extending pollen seasons, doctors in Italy said on Monday. Pollen seasons as well as the amount of pollen in the air progressively increased during a 26-year study in Italy, the doctors told a meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in New Orleans. The team at Genoa University recorded pollen counts, how long pollen seasons lasted and sensitivity to five types of pollen in the Bordighera region of Italy from 1981 to 2007. Allergy news 2010-03-03T19:20:00-08:00 http://www.health.am/allergies/more/severe-allergic-reaction-to-meat/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/severe-allergic-reaction-to-meat/ Eating meat may be a much more common trigger for anaphylaxis - a severe and potentially deadly allergic reaction - than previously thought, U.S. researchers said on Sunday. A study of 60 patients who had unexplained severe allergic reactions suggests that a compound in meat known as alpha-galactose may be the culprit, according to research presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in New Orleans. They found immune system proteins called IgE antibodies in 25 out of 60 patients who had unexplained allergic reactions. Allergy news 2010-03-01T20:16:00-08:00 http://www.health.am/allergies/more/herbal-remedies-linked-to-poor-asthma-control/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/herbal-remedies-linked-to-poor-asthma-control/ Use of herbal remedies results in poorer quality of life and increased frequency of symptoms in asthma patients, according to a study published this month in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “Results indicate patients using herbal remedies are less likely to take their prescribed medications,” said Angkana Roy, M.D., lead author, Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York. “These patients report worse asthma control and poorer quality of life than patients who follow medication plans. Underuse of prescribed medication is one of the main factors contributing to poor outcomes in asthma patients.” The study tracked 326 asthma patients over a 33-month period. Of those, 25 percent reported herbal remedy use and lower adherence to use of prescribed inhaled corticosteroids (ICS).  Allergy news 2010-02-03T16:08:00-08:00 http://www.health.am/allergies/more/peanut-allergies-less-common-than-tests-suggest/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/peanut-allergies-less-common-than-tests-suggest/ Many children who test positive for sensitivity to peanuts may not actually have full-blown allergies to the food, a new study suggests. UK researchers found that among 79 8-year-olds who were deemed peanut- sensitive by standard allergy testing, only 7 turned out to have true allergies when they underwent more-extensive testing that is less commonly used in routine practice. [abs] As it stands, peanut allergy is typically diagnosed through a skin test, blood test or both. Allergy news 2010-01-13T22:41:01-08:00 http://www.health.am/allergies/more/starting-some-solid-foods-late-boosts-allergy-risk/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/starting-some-solid-foods-late-boosts-allergy-risk/ Holding off on introducing certain foods in order to prevent children from becoming allergic to them may be counterproductive. Researchers from Finland found that children introduced to certain foods later were more likely to become sensitized to them, increasing their risk of developing full-blown allergies. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other authorities on child health recommend babies be breastfed exclusively up to six months of age, at which time parents can begin introducing solid food.  Allergy news 2009-12-09T16:32:00-08:00 http://www.health.am/allergies/more/have-egg-allergy/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/have-egg-allergy/ As flu season got underway this fall, Dr. Catherine Monteleone, an allergist, noticed that her office started to receive an unusually high number of calls from people with egg allergy. They previously had avoided flu vaccines because of their sensitivity to eggs. This year, with all the attention being paid to the novel H1N1 influenza, those patients want to be protected against flu, and they contacted her to find out if they are candidates for inoculation. “Seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines are produced in chicken embryos - eggs - so people who have egg allergy generally avoid them,” Monteleone, an associate professor of medicine at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, explained. “But there are ways to get vaccinated.” Patients first should consult with an allergist about the risks and benefits of vaccination, she recommends.  Allergy news 2009-11-19T20:43:00-08:00 http://www.health.am/allergies/more/better-ventilation-may-ease-some-asthma-symptoms/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/better-ventilation-may-ease-some-asthma-symptoms/ Improved home ventilation that dehumidifies the air may make it easier for people with asthma to breathe at night, hint findings of a small study from the United Kingdom. In theory, lowering indoor humidity should lower concentrations of moisture-loving dust mites - a major trigger for asthma-related breathing problems. To test this, Dr. Neil C. Thomson, at the University of Glasgow, and colleagues measured breathing patterns over 12 months in 119 men and women who were about 42 years old on average and had asthma for 9 to 30 years. Allergy news 2009-11-15T22:54:00-08:00 http://www.health.am/allergies/more/new-developments-improve-food-allergy-management/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/new-developments-improve-food-allergy-management/ Less restrictive dietary options, better detection, targeted avoidance measures, educational directives and potential new therapies are improving food allergy management and giving hope to the more than 12 million Americans affected according to experts at the thirteenth international food allergy conference held during the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Miami Beach, Fla. “The management of food allergy relies primarily on avoidance of exposure to suspected or proven foods,” said Alessandro Fiocchi, M.D., director of the Pediatric Department at The Melloni University Hospital in Milan, Italy. “This can best be done if the specific foods responsible for the patient’s symptoms are identified by history and appropriate tests.” Not all foods a patient is sensitized to should be eliminated, and not all sensitized patients should be on a diet, said Dr. Fiocchi. Patients may not need to avoid all in a specific food group, such as different kinds of fish for a person with fish allergy. Allergy news 2009-11-05T21:34:00-08:00 http://www.health.am/allergies/more/study-links-folic-acid-supplements-to-asthma/ http://www.health.am/allergies/more/study-links-folic-acid-supplements-to-asthma/ A University of Adelaide study may have shed light on the rise in childhood asthma in developed countries like Australia in recent decades. Researchers from the University’s Robinson Institute have identified a link between folic acid supplements taken in late pregnancy and allergic asthma in children aged between 3 and 5 years, suggesting that the timing of supplementation in pregnancy is important. Associate Professor Michael Davies says that folic acid supplements – recommended for pregnant women to prevent birth defects – appear to have “additional and unexpected” consequences in recent studies in mice and infants.  Allergy news 2009-11-04T17:44:00-08:00