ASC Portal - Healht News

Tablet-based immunotherapy treatment for allergies

admin — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:12:30 +0000

A recent report discusses a newly developed immunotherapy for allergies that avoids the need for long-term allergen injections to desensitize the immune system to the allergy-producing substances. Researchers at Genoa University, Italy, say tests of the new immunotherapy tablets, which are placed under the tongue for a short period of time and then swallowed, showed that participants randomized to receive the tablet showed significantly lower levels of allergy symptoms than those who received placebos following treatment for 12 and 24 months. The report is in The Lancet.

Skin rash in children linked to food allergies

admin — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:12:07 +0000

A recent study suggests that as many as one-third of pediatric cases of the chronic skin disorder atopic dermatitis may be caused by food allergies. Researchers at the University of Geneva in Switzerland studied the prevalence of food allergies in 63 patients with atopic dermatitis to collect data; participants were between the ages of three months and 19 years.

The study found that 23 patients (36.5%) tested positive for food allergies, including those to foods such as eggs, milk, wheat, beef, and tangerines. Authors say the findings suggest that sensitivity to certain foods could be a significant trigger for atopic dermatitis and that testing for such sensitivities should be considered for patients requiring chronic treatment for the skin disorder. The study is in the Pediatrics electronics pages.

Prevalence of allergic reactions to latex among healthcare workers

admin — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 19:11:34 +0000

A recent report from researchers at Johns Hopkins University concludes that a significant proportion of healthcare workers may be allergic to latex, the rubber used in surgical gloves. Researchers tested 168 anesthesiologists for allergic reactions to latex to collect data and found that about 2.5% had overt reactions, such as skin rash or sneezing, to latex, and that another 10% showed evidence of antibody recognition of latex, indicating an increased risk for developing overt latex allergies. The findings were presented at a recent meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

Outgrowing allergic reactions to peanuts

admin — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 19:10:54 +0000

A recent report suggests that a significant percentage of young children who are allergic to peanuts grow out of the allergy, in contrast to the persistent allergy in older children. Researchers at London’s Institute of Child Health studied 15 young children with resolved peanut allergy and 15 with persistent allergy to collect data and found that 18% of the younger children challenged with peanuts had negative results (no allergic reaction). Authors note that children with no other food allergies at the time of the study had a better chance of negative challenge results. The report is in the British Medical Journal.

Consumption of cows’ milk by newborns

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 19:10:49 +0000

A new report concludes that babies who consume cows’ milk formula in the first few days of life are not at increased long-term risk of allergies. Researchers at the University of Amsterdam followed the health of more than 1,500 healthy newborns to collect data; half of the children were fed cows’ milk formula for the first three days of life, while the other half were fed a formula containing no cows’ milk.

The study found that 10% of babies fed cows’ milk experienced allergic reactions during the first year of life, compared to 9.3% of non-dairy formula recipients; the rates were 9.6% and 10.2%, respectively, in the second years of life. Author say the findings dispute previous reports that even small amounts of cows’ milk can adversely affect the immune system of infants. The report is in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Relationship between hay fever and rheumatoid arthritis

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:50:20 +0000

A recent report suggests that some allergies and rheumatoid arthritis may be seen as counterbalancing conditions (persons with one of the conditions are less likely to suffer from the other condition than persons in the general population). Researchers at the University Hospital Utrecht, the Netherlands, studied more than 700 adults, about half of whom suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, to collect data.

It was found that participants who did not suffer from rheumatoid arthritis had about twice the risk of suffering from hay fever, compared to arthritic subjects and that hay fever sufferers were less likely than those without the condition to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. Authors say study has suggested that the counterbalancing relationship between the two conditions may be due to the ratio of T1 and T2 immune cells in patients. The report is in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases.

New ruling on providing “off-label” use drug information

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:49:37 +0000

Reports say the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC, has handed down a ruling overturning the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s policy prohibiting companies from distributing information to physicians on “off-label” use of drugs or devices. Off-label use is use of a drug or device for purposes other than those for which it has been approved by the FDA.

The ruling is the result of a 1994 lawsuit filed by the the Washington Legal Foundation, which claimed that the FDA policy violated the First Amendment rights of companies. Note: physicians have always been able to obtain information on off-label use by request, but companies have been prohibited from providing such information unsolicited. The FDA has reportedly not decided whether or not it will appeal the decision. Data taken from a Reuters news report.

Infant milk allergy linked to other conditions

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:49:07 +0000

A recent study concludes that not all children who are born with an intolerance to cow’s milk outgrow the intolerance and that they are at increased risk of other conditions. Researchers at the University of Palermo, Italy, reviewed the records of 38 children to collect data; 12 of those studied were intolerant of cow’s milk until at least age four, while the intolerance disappeared in the others by age two.

The study found that about 92% of children with persistent milk allergies also suffered from multiple other food allergies, compared to 12% of children who lost their intolerance to milk by age two. It was further found that 75% of those with persistent milk allergies suffered from other atopic conditions, including asthma, hayfever, and the skin condition eczema, compared to 8% of those who lost their milk intolerance early. The study is in the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy.

Whooping cough vaccination and the risk of allergic conditions

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:48:37 +0000

A recent study sought to examine what, if any, increased risk of allergic conditions could be linked to immunization against pertussis (“whooping cough”) during childhood. Researchers at the University Hospital in Linkoping, Sweden, studied 669 children treated with one of three choices: 1) acellular pertussis vaccines, 2) whole-cell pertussis vaccines, or 3) vaccines against diphtheria and tetanus with no pertussis component included.

The study found that about 30% of children in each of the three groups developed allergic condition, such as hayfever, food allergy, hives, or eczema, by two-and-a-half years of age. Authors say whole-cell pertussis vaccines were associated with a 4% increased risk of allergies and that the acellular vaccine forms were associated with a 10% increased risk. Researchers say the findings do not support the theory put forth previously that pertussis vaccination should be withheld from infants due the increased allergy risk, especially if whole-cell vaccines are used. The study is in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Doctors say managed care creates treatment quality problems

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:48:09 +0000

A recent survey shows that the majority of physicians in managed care programs feel that the managed care has had detrimental effects on the quality of medical care and on the physician-patient relationship. Researchers at Allegheny University of the Health Sciences in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, surveyed more than 500 doctors to collect data and found that more than half said the quality of healthcare is adversely affected by limitations in location of diagnostic tests, length of hospital stay, and choice of specialists, and that about two-thirds of respondents said managed care has undermined the physician-patient relationship.

Authors say the most common reasons behind the respondents’ opinions were that managed care presents conflicts that make it more difficult to place the patients’ interests first, such as physician/HMO financial incentives for productivity, and the hostile view of physicians as “gatekeepers” who must approve managed care coverage for tests, hospital stays, and referrals for visits to specialists. The findings are in the Archives of Internal Medicine.