SAN ANTONIO, March 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) may provide a simple and cost-effective means of screening for asthma in a military setting. This study was presented today at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) in San Antonio.
Rajiv Arora, MD, and colleagues from Wilford Medical Center in San Antonio, tested military recruits who were referred for respiratory complaints during training. Levels of eNO were determined prior to a full evaluation for asthma, including history, physical, baseline spirometry and histamine challenge.
Out of 172 basic trainees who had signs of asthma, an eNO value of 10.5 parts per billion (ppb) provided a diagnosis of asthma in 86%. With more than 1,000 basic trainees a year referred for an asthma evaluation, these findings show that using eNO as a tool for screening for asthma may save more than $6.5 million dollars a year in medical treatment.
Depression in children a factor for poor asthma medication adherence
Children with symptoms of depression have a low adherence to asthma medications, according to new research presented today at the 2005 AAAAI Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
Bruce G. Bender, PhD, National Jewish Medial and Research Center, Denver, CO, and colleagues monitored medication adherence in 58 asthmatic children with one of two psychological devices. Each child required daily controller medication for their asthma. Over the course of the study, adherence to medication declined significantly. The children studied took only 41.5% of the asthma medication prescribed.
Parents suffering from symptoms of depression tended to have children with more depression symptoms. While depression has been identified as a factor underlying nonadherence in adults, this study established that depressive symptoms in children rather then a parent is associated with poor asthma medication adherence.
Viral-induced wheezing common in early childhood
Early childhood viral-induced wheezing can be evaluated by using routine spirometry testing, according to findings presented today at the 2005 AAAAI Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
Viral-induced wheezing is common in early childhood. Lisa Pleiss, PhD, University of Wisconsin, and colleagues investigated whether routine spirometry could be used in pre-school children to assess airway obstruction in relationship to their history of wheezing. Spirometry is a test to measure how well the lungs take in air, the volume of air the lungs hold, and how well the lungs exhale air.
Researchers obtained spirometry data at age five from 113 children enrolled in the Childhood Origins of ASThma (COAST) study. They found that only 51 of the 113 children produced acceptable spirometry levels. They noted that children who wheezed in the first three years of life had significantly lower spirometry levels than children who did not wheeze.
Asthma care rests with children
The majority of children with asthma take responsibility for their own asthma management, according to new research presented today at the AAAAI 2005 Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
L. Radecki, MD, Northwestern University, Chicago and colleagues administered a questionnaire on asthma management to a group of children and their parents. They sought to determine if the parent or child took the reigns in managing the child’s asthma.
The study found that 65% of the parents reported “all or pretty much” of the time the child manages his or her own asthma. Parents also reported that the child’s self-medication increased with his or her age. Researchers believe these findings will be helpful in developing appropriate education regarding why and how asthma medications should be taken.
Inhaled corticosteroid beliefs hinder treatment in asthma sufferers
Negative beliefs about inhaled steroids hinder proper asthma management, according to a study discussed today at the AAAAI 2005 Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
Tao Tuan Le, MD, Johns Hopkins University, and colleagues evaluated 58 adults with asthma who were currently on inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy. Inhaled steroids are the preferred long-term therapy for treating patient with persistent asthma. Each patient completed surveys regarding their beliefs about ICS therapy and electronic monitoring devices were used to access adherence over one month.
According to researchers, the main reason for nonadherence from patients prescribed ICS therapy was the lack of knowledge they had about their medication. Common answers included concerns over developing a tolerance to treatment through daily use, needing less inhaled steroids than prescribed, and the lack of perceived safety in the treatment. Researchers concluded that better communication between physician and patient will improve adherence to asthma therapy.
These studies were presented at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). The AAAAI is the largest professional medical specialty organization in the United States representing allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease. Allergy/immunology specialists are pediatric or internal medicine physicians who have elected an additional two years of training to become specialized in the treatment of asthma, allergy and immunologic disease. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has over 6,000 members in the United States, Canada and 60 other countries. The AAAAI serves as an advocate to the public by providing educational information through its Web site, http://www.aaaai.org/ , and its Physician Referral and Information Line, 1 (800) 822-2762.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
CONTACT: John Gardner, jgardner@aaaai.org , or Katie Tetzlaff,ktetzlaff@aaaai.org , both of AAAAI, +1-414-272-6071