Asthma is a lingering lung disease that agitates and constricts the airways. It causes repeated episodes of wheezing, heaviness in the chest, gasping for breath, and coughing. The coughing often happens in the evening or early in the morning.
It affects both young and old alike, but it usually starts during childhood. About a quarter of people with asthma are children.
Latest Research on Asthma
People suffering from asthma, don’t be discouraged! Much research has been done on asthma in recent years and studies are still continuing today.
Some of the most recent research includes:
New Antibody Treatment Discovered
A new study has discovered an antibody that can enhance the quality of life for people suffering from asthma by lessening the swelling in the lungs.
After taking an antibody by inhaling an environmental allergen, asthma patients experienced improvements in wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and cough.
Patients with mild asthma are usually treated with Corticosteroids or bronchodilators for inhalation, and antibodies are usually given only to those with severe asthma.
This research proved that those with mild allergic asthma should be treated with antibodies to solve their problems with inflammation. The antibodies will help them enjoy an easier life with less aggravation.
The latest studies were done at the St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and McMaster University and the result was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. They have proven that an antibody can relieve inflammation, especially to those with mild allergic asthma.
Risk of Asthma at Adolescence
Asthma is the most common persistent lung disorder during childhood. Most preschool children usually suffer from wheezing problems, but only some, not all, develop asthma in their adolescence.
This research aimed to a) evaluate the presence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human rhinovirus (RV), the two most common respiratory viruses in children, and b) investigate the relationship of preschool wheezing children to developing allergic sensitivities as they grow.
The study showed that wheezing problems caused by RV virus had a lot to do with persistent wheezing at six years of age, but not at the age of 13 years.
They also found that younger children afflicted with wheezing and sensitivity to allergens have a higher risk of developing asthma.
The research showed that being able to identify RV-caused wheezing and allergy sensitivity in children are two possible factors which can be managed to prevent the incidence of asthma in children.
New Drug for Asthma
Researchers at The University of Queensland are focused on a drug that may set back or delay the development of asthma.
The drug targets a protein called IL-33. The IL-33 protein causes bronchial inflammation in people suffering from asthma. In addition, research showed that IL-33 also reduces the ability of asthmatics to fight lung infections, which usually initiate asthma attacks.
Researchers hope that by obstructing the IL-33 protein, the drug will be able to reverse or slow down the occurrence of asthma. They hope to introduce new treatments and remedies that will stop asthma completely, and not just relieve the symptoms.
Parents and Doctors Need to Communicate About Asthma Medication Use
There are a lot of efficient asthma medications, but asthma is still the most common persistent lung disorder during childhood. A new study aimed to solve the problem of prolonged, poorly-managed asthma in children.
The reasons researchers came up with were:
- Children do not take daily controller medicines
- Providers do not recommend controller medicines
- Parents do not understand doctor’s instructions
- Others
This study concluded that more communications and adjustments between the providers and the parents can be done in order that the controller medication can be administered more effectively and efficiently to prevent the occurrence of episodes of asthma in children.
New Discovery for Asthma Treatment
An international study conducted at the Cardiff University’s School of Medicine made a discovery that may give asthma sufferers around the world a better life.
The scientists found a way to ease symptoms like contraction of the airways in the lungs, inflammation, and mucus production, by barring a particular molecule.
The research was published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Possibility of First Diagnostic Blood Test for Asthma
Currently, there are no definitive diagnostic tests for asthma, a common long-lasting lung disease affecting more than 25 million Americans, both young and old.
Asthma is diagnosed based on a person’s history and breathing tests, which are both inadequate. These tests’ widely different variations make asthma more difficult to diagnose and manage.
A scientific study recently discovered molecules in the blood of people with asthma. This may be a big factor needed to finally have a test developed for the diagnosis of asthma, as well as focus on developing more treatments.
The ultimate objective of this study is to have this blood test developed within five years, and determine whether someone has asthma right away.
Biomes in a Newborn May Predict Allergy and Asthma
Researchers and scientists at the UC San Francisco and the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit have been working for years, trying to find out why some children are prone to asthma and allergies while some are not.
Their recent study indicated that newborn babies have a rare pattern of gut microbes in newborns which increase their danger of acquiring asthma. Their study of newborn babies showed that these microbes in the baby’s gut may clearly influence its immune system, which may probably cause a higher danger of allergies and asthma.
To prevent a disease from progressing, the baby’s health has to be managed early. At present, most children diagnosed with asthma are aged from 6 to 7 years old and are being treated through medication. But if the disease is detected as early as after delivery, there can be a possibility that allergic asthma can be stopped from building up.
The new paper, published September 12, 2016 in Nature Medicine, believes that the discovery offers a chance to work out new treatments that could avoid allergies and asthma before they become established.
Pets and Children With Asthma
Swedish scientists did a research to find out whether children who were exposed to animals at a young age have a different risk of asthma. They used more than a million Swedish children to study the correlation of their interaction with dogs and their ensuing development of asthma.
It is common knowledge that children who have allergies to cats and dogs should stay away from them. However, the study also showed that children with dogs have a lower danger of acquiring asthma when they grow up. The latest study showed that children with dogs in the family had 15% less asthma than children without dogs. Earlier studies have indicated that children who grew up on a farm has a 50% lower risk of asthma.
New Asthma Pill for Severe Sufferers
Asthma attacks kill three people every day, but research shows that two thirds of these asthma deaths are avoidable.
Good news for people suffering from asthma – a new pill was developed that will definitely change the future treatment of asthma. This was reported by Professor Chris Brightling, NIHR Senior Research Fellow at the University of Leicester, who called the new drug a “game changer.”
This new asthma pill was described to have the ability to substantially diminish the severity of the illness. It is currently being appraised in the late phase clinical trials to determine the effectiveness patients with serious asthma.
Scientists and researchers are continually searching for answers for the cure and final elimination of asthma in the world. There is so much hope in store for all you asthma sufferers. Your fight goes on!
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