News Bits
Allergic Reactions Are Here, There, and Everywhere
If you have allergies where you live now, you’ll probably have allergies somewhere else too, report U.S. researchers who analyzed blood serum data from about 10,000 Americans. They found a similar prevalence of allergies across the country, with the only exception being in children ages 1-5. Kids that age were more likely to have allergies if they lived in the south.
Study Looking at CPAP for Asthma
Could a device used to treat sleep apnea help people with asthma too? Researchers don’t have an answer yet, but are exploring the concept in a study being carried out at 19 sites across the country. The hope is that the CPAP machine will help relax the airways of people with asthma, thus making them less reactive. The study is being sponsored by the American Lung Association.
Preterm Birth Raises Risk for Asthma
Boston researchers who combined the results from 30 previous studies find preterm birth may raise the risk for asthma and wheezing disorders. In their study, children born early were 70% more likely to develop these conditions later in childhood. The earlier the child’s birth, the greater the likelihood he or she would end up with asthma.
For Kids with Asthma, September Is the Worst Month
A new study out of Israel finds September is the worst month for asthma in kids, with twice as many flare ups than August. The investigators attribute the finding to the fact that children return to school in September, where they are exposed to more infections. Fall allergies may also be coming into play.
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