Healthcare News
Hay fever medicine reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
Researchers from KU Leuven, Belgium, have identified the cause of abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). As a result, they were able to select a medicine that could reduce or end that pain. This medicine is already used to treat hay fever.
New study indicates why children are likelier to develop food allergies
An estimated 15 million Americans suffer from food allergies, many of them children. These are non-trivial concerns, as food allergy or intolerance can cause symptoms ranging from a harmless skin rash to a potentially lethal anaphylactic shock. The good news is that many affected children outgrow their allergy, presumably as the immune system learns to tolerate food initially mistaken as “foreign”.
Researchers find link between self-reported penicillin allergy, urticaria
The prevalence of self-reported penicillin allergy in patients with urticaria is three times higher than the general population, and the prevalence of urticaria in patients with a self-reported penicillin allergy is also three times higher than the general population, according to a recently published study.
Asthma and allergies: a protective factor in farm milk
Fresh, unprocessed cow’s milk has a higher content of omega-3 fatty acids than does pasteurized, homogenized or low-fat milk. This factor partly explains why children who consume the unprocessed product are less likely to develop asthma.
Immunological Cross-Reactions May Increase Food Allergies
Food allergy can be caused by immunological cross-reactions to common inhalant allergens, with diverse patterns of allergic reactions to foods observed, according to a position paper published in the September issue of Allergy.
Allergy to Soy Reported After Percutaneous Sensitization
Reduced skin barrier function seen in patients with atopic dermatitis may cause percutaneous sensitization by various proteins, such as food, according to a case report published in the September issue of The Journal of Dermatology.
Video: Sublingual allergy treatment provides alternative to shots
For patients with severe seasonal allergies the regularly available medications may not be enough to help their symptoms while the prospect of shots may be prohibitive enough to keep them from getting shots. A newly approved treatment could provide an alternative to the needle.
Substantial increase in costs for uncontrolled asthma
A considerable proportion of patients with mild to moderate asthma are symptomatically uncontrolled, and uncontrolled asthma is associated with significantly increased costs, according to a study published online Nov. 3 in Allergy.
Hay fever sufferers prefer prescription medication, but use over-the-counter relief
Anyone suffering with seasonal allergies knows the local pharmacy carries shelves full of over-the-counter medications to help manage symptoms. Unfortunately, most seasonal allergy sufferers take over-the counter (OTC) products rather than the treatments they actually prefer – prescription medications.
Biologics for asthma: Attacking the source of the disease, not the symptoms
Imagine you suffer from severe asthma, and you’ve tried every treatment available, but nothing has worked. You still can’t breathe. Then a new therapy comes along that attacks the source of the asthma, as opposed to the symptoms, and treats the disease at a cellular level. That’s the promise of biologics, and the topic of four presentations at the 2015 ACAAI Annual Scientific Meeting in San Antonio, November 5-9.