Guest Author - Amy Anaruk

For the week ending July 21, 2007.

Short-Burst Corticosteroids Help Prevent Hospital Relapse

If you end up in the hospital with a severe asthma flare, taking a short burst of corticosteroids after your discharge could prevent your chances of relapse. The Cochrane Collaboration recently compared data from six asthma trials to discover that taking post-discharge corticosteroids also reduced inhaler use for as much as three weeks for some people.

Usually, up to 16% of all patients who visit the hospital with acute asthma problems will relapse after discharge.

The Cochrane Collaboration is a volunteer group of 6,000+ international healthcare professionals focused on reviewing, synthesizing, and publishing the results of clinical trials and research around the world. The organization's Systematic Reviews are the gold standard of evidence-based medical care.


Obesity and Asthma Genetically Linked?

Researchers at King's College London have discovered that immune cells responsible for releasing an asthma-causing protein also release a protein associated with appetite stimulation.

When these Th2 cells start the pulmonary inflammation process that develops into asthma, the study's scientists theorize, the action could also stimulate increased appetite. The connection would explain why, for some patients, obesity and asthma develop at the same time.

While the medical community has long noted obesity as a risk factor for developing asthma, this discovery marks the first genetic evidence of a link. Until now, doctors have partially attributed some asthma patients' obesity to an inability to exercise easily when experiencing breathing problems.

Since many asthma sufferers are not obese, the study authors plan more research in this area.

Adapted from a King's College London press release.


***********

"Smile, breathe and go slowly." -Thich Nhat Hanh



This article is not written by a medical professional, and information on this page should never be substituted for your physician's advice. If you have any questions about your asthma and/or allergies, you should always contact your physician first.