Justines Asthma pages

Asthma may impare quality of life. Latest research shows asthma causes depression. anxiety and limits physical activity. Further work is needed to help decrease the burden of the disease and the impact on peoples quality of life. Research shows that a combination of better patient education and more specialist services is needed for asthmatics to enjoy a better quality of life. 3.5 million people are experience deliberating symptoms and could be avoided by better health service access and improved polices. (yip thats a fact) 

A young Doctor from Northern Ireland ( well done fellow country women) has won a top prize for studying  a receptor molecule involved in imflamation and the long-term changes to the structure of the lungs. An understanding of how this receptor works could help scientists develope a treatment to target specific cells and prevent long term damage to the airways. Unravelling the mechcanism  of this receptor has been a very difficult challenge and the results provide a real possabilty for a treatment for allergic asthma. Good news.

 Increasing vitamin C intake could help people with severe asthma. Reasearchers have called for further investigations. The new study claimed that decreased levels of antioxidants may also contribute to severe asthma. Men with a low intake of vitamin C had very severe asthma.The blood concentration levels were markedly lower in patients with severe asthma. Lung function was better in higher level of vitamin C intake asthmatics. The study suggests thats vitamin C intake is important for asthmatics: As this seens good news another study suggested that this was not the case with pregnant asthmatic women. It showed high level vitamin intake in pregnancey did not improve their asthma and they were worse with wheezing. Well thats that then.

Almost up to a third of children who shake off asthma by the time they are 18yrs are at risk of developing the condition later in life. Researchers say that those at the most risk are children who have common allergies and those with poor lung function. They found that of those whose asthma seemed to have disappeared at age 18yrs, 35% had a relapse by the time they were 26yrs. This could help researchers help to identify those most at risk. In the UK 1 in 10 children have asthma. Thats roughly 3 children to every classroom. Childhood asthma seems to go away, but the fact is it probably just stays at bay for many years. I personally think that once you have asthma you always will.

Researchers have found that the nerves of the lungs which cause the airways to narrow during an asthma attack, release eotaxin, a substance that attracks eosinophils, a type of white bllod cell, to the lungs. The eosinophils stimulate the nerves to release acetylcholine, which further narrows the airways. When resaearchers blocked the effects of eotaxin, they prevented the airway narrowing. This study shows that blocking eotaxin and its interactions with eosinophils with nerves will be helpful in treating asthma. Great. Full results will be available january 2006, so I'll keep you updated.

Researchers have discovered a protein that controls the increase in smooth muscle that constricts the airways in asthma. This discovery could be an important breakthrough because the increase in muscle like this are associated with airway remodelling (an irreversible process) which can lead to narrowed airways and severe breathing difficulty in asthmatics. This protein was know to add to the inflamatio in asthma, but this discovery shows it may have an added effect. This discovery could help lead to new treatments which is good news.

A consultation to review prescription charges for asthmatics is to take place autumn 2007. I personally have to pay (or more like my husband has to pay) for my perscription as I am not working due to my severe asthma which I think is totally unfair as I was born with asthma and need my medication to keep me alive (yes). Diabetics get free prescriptions (NO OFFENCE TO THEM) and so should asthmatics as they need to take medication to keep them alive also. I welcome this review and hope for a good outcome.

Recent studies have shown growing up near a major road could harm the developement of childrens lungs. The study examined the lung function of 3,677 children from the age of 10yrs until they were 18yrs when their lungs where fully developed. Those who lived within 500 metres of a motorway had much poorer lung function than those who lived 1,500 metres away. Even when factors such as smoking in their homes where taken into account. The issue of pollution is important to people with asthma, as 66% claim traffic fumes make their asthma worse. Cleaner fuel and low emission vehicles should be the future for transport policies. Which might happen in the next few years.