Allergy and Immunology

Genetic variants predispose individuals to life-long risk of asthma

asthma genetics
Allergy and ImmunologyDr. Sunita Khatri MBBS29 Jun 2013
After a 40 years long study conducted in New Zealand, the researchers from Duke University have concluded that certain genetic variants predispose individuals to a life-long risk of developing asthma. People born with these genes not only run a high risk of developing asthma in their childhood but have an increased likelihood of developing the condition even in their adulthood. The results of the study have been published in the recent issue of the journal Lancet. The researchers studied...
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Dupilumab found to be effective in patients with moderate to severe asthma

dupilumab asthma
Allergy and ImmunologyDr. Sunita Khatri MBBS27 May 2013
In an important breakthrough, researchers have found IL-4 antagonist dupilumab to be effective in preventing asthma exacerbations in patients suffering from moderate to severe asthma. The research was led by Sally Wenzel from the University of Pittsburgh and has been reported online in the New England Journal of Medicine. For their research, Wenzel and colleagues chose patients with moderate to severe asthma with eosinophil count ≥300 cells/mL and a sputum eosinophil count of ≥3%. All the...
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Patients with urinary phenols have increased risk of allergies

Allergy and ImmunologyGopal krishna27 Feb 2013
Many researchers have hypothesized that atopy is more common in western countries as people there are less exposed to microbes in the environment. It is a known fact that the dichlorophenols used in many pesticides and for chlorination of water, have an adverse effect on the environmental microbes. A new study carried out by ElinaJerschow from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, N.Y along with her colleagues and presented at the meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma,...
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Phthalates from PVC Flooring Material can cause Asthma in Children

Allergy and ImmunologyGopal krishna5 Jun 2012
Phthalates are chemical compounds present in commonly used materials like cleaning solvents, toys, etc. They are also used as softeners in poly vinyl chloride (PVC) flooring material. Earlier studies have found that phthalates can result in several chronic diseases in children like asthma and allergies. They are suspected to be endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). A new study conducted by scientists from Karlstad University in Sweden and published in the recent issue of the journal Indoor Air...
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DNA based Vaccine against Asthma shows Promising Results

asthma vaccine
Allergy and ImmunologyDr. Sunita Khatri MBBS17 Apr 2012
Although many specific immunotherapies have been tried against asthma, they have not been very successful as they are not very efficient and can cause serious side effects. However, a new vaccine, which is a DNA-based vaccine against Dermatophagoides farinae 1 (Derf1) allergen, has shown promising results and is devoid of deleterious effects. This particular allergen is the commonest allergen responsible for the flaring up of asthma in Europe. The vaccine has been developed by the scientists at...
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