News Bits
High Pollen Counts Lead to More ED Visits for Asthma
High pollen days increase the risk of an emergency room visit for people with asthma, report researchers from Emory University. In their study, the number of people visiting the ER for asthma jumped by 10% on days when the pollen count for grass was in the 95th percentile or above. When oak pollens were that high or higher, asthma visits increased by 15%.
Allergies May Protect Against Common Brain Cancer
All that sniffling and sneezing that goes along with your allergies may actually have a silver lining. Investigators from Norway found a significantly lower risk of a common type of brain cancer in people with allergies. In their study, people who tested positive for antibodies related to allergies were nearly 50% less likely to develop a glioma.
Mold Exposure in Infancy Tied to Asthma in Childhood
Exposing infants to mold puts them at greater risk for childhood asthma. That’s the take home message from U.S. researchers who followed nearly 300 infants who had at least one parent with allergies. By the time these kids were seven years old, 25% had developed asthma, and mold was the only indoor contaminant linked to development of the condition.
Stopping Asthma Drug Could Have Ill Effects
The FDA recently questioned the treatment of asthma with a long-acting beta agonist combined with an inhaled corticosteroid, citing side effects from the long-acting drug. However, new research out of Creighton University suggests coming off the drug could lead to a worsening of asthma. An analysis of five previous studies showed people who stopped taking the long-acting drug ended up with more asthma problems and fewer symptom-free days.
More Evidence Smoking and Pregnancy Don't Mix
Here’s another good reason to give up cigarettes if you are pregnant: according to Swedish investigators who looked at data on more than 21,000 children, both wheeze and asthma are more prevalent at age 4-6 in those whose mothers smoked while they were pregnant.
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