Allergies & Asthma

Children under 4 years of age with peanut allergies had significantly higher desensitization and remission rates with oral immunotherapy versus placebo, and younger age appeared to predict better outcomes, the randomized IMPACT study showed. Among 146 children ages 1 to 3 years, 71% of those assigned to peanut flour oral immunotherapy became desensitized to a

The average person takes between 17,280 and 23,040 breaths per day — 90% of those are typically taken indoors.1 Can you imagine how many allergens and other particles you inhale indoors? Indoor air quality became an eye-opener when the COVID-19 pandemic began. But, think about all the non-viral allergens and particles in the air that

Disparities in air pollution exposure between racial and ethnic groups are getting worse, according to a new study. From 2000 to 2016, the average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in the U.S. decreased by 40%, from 12.6 µg/m-3 to 7.5 µg/m-3, according to Abdulrahman Jbaily, PhD, of Harvard T. H. Chan School of

Traffic-related air pollution was responsible for nearly 2 million new asthma cases in children across the globe in 2019, according to a new study. Of the 1.85 million new pediatric asthma cases that were attributed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), two-thirds occurred in urban areas, reported Susan Anenberg, PhD, of George Washington University in Washington, D.C.,

Traveling can bring excitement, anxiety, and stress, whether you’re driving a short distance for the day or flying across the country for an extended business trip or vacation. Add food allergies to the mix and traveling can be overwhelming. Researching dining and flight options, communicating your allergies with others, remembering to pack important allergy-friendly items,

When you hear “environmental allergies,” trees, grasses, and weeds might be the first allergens that come to mind. Just when you breathe a sigh of relief from waning outdoor allergens, prepare for sneaky indoor environmental allergens. Mold and dust mites trigger allergies throughout the year. But, as winter rolls around and you begin spending more

The FDA approved the only biologic for severe asthma without any phenotype or biomarker limitations, manufacturers AstraZeneca and Amgen announced Friday. The first-in-class biologic tezepelumab-ekko (Tezspire) is indicated as an add-on maintenance treatment for patients ages 12 and older with severe asthma. It is not intended for acute bronchospasm or status asthmaticus. As a first-in-class

One in 10 people in the U.S. have atopic dermatitis, or eczema. The miserable symptoms — dry, itchy, sore skin — can take a toll on everyday activities, concentration, and sleep. Products and environmental factors you’re exposed to on a daily basis could trigger your eczema flare ups. Underlying allergy may even be at the

Interventions to de-escalate use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are necessary and beneficial, researchers said during the federal posters session at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear virtual meeting. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines recommend long-acting beta2-agonists (LABA) and long-acting muscarinic

Immune-mediated diseases collectively were associated with an increased risk of cancer, with the risks not always isolated to the involved organ, a large cohort study demonstrated. Overall, 48 common autoimmune and other immune-mediated conditions were linked with a modest total cancer risk (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04-1.12), reported Mingyang Song, MD, ScD, of Harvard T.H.

Children with poorly-controlled asthma were at much greater risk for COVID-19 hospitalization, a retrospective study from Scotland found. Among roughly 750,000 children ages 5 to 17, those with an asthma-related hospitalization in the 2 years before the pandemic — a marker for uncontrolled asthma — had a more than sixfold higher risk of being hospitalized

We’ve all heard about food recalls on the news — “food abc” recalled for undeclared allergens, “food xyz” recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination. As scary as they may sound, food recalls often get brushed to the side if it isn’t a food you eat or buy. Undeclared major food allergen, when a food allergen

NEW ORLEANS — Apparently it’s not necessary to have the protein that a monoclonal antibody is designed to bind for it to achieve a clinical benefit, if a study of patients with chronic urticaria can be taken at face value. At the Cleveland Clinic, the condition was brought under complete control in seven patients after

NEW ORLEANS — Everyone who received their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 at military facilities after experiencing allergic reactions to the first did just fine without any pretreatment, a physician reported here. These individuals were observed closely, of course, and some underwent allergy testing beforehand to ascertain whether they

NEW ORLEANS — Although still technically an orphan disease, hereditary angioedema (HAE) remains a popular focus for drug developers despite a half-dozen products already approved in the U.S. That was on full display at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology’s annual meeting here, with phase II studies on two investigational agents featured in

You’ve probably heard of some allergy-friendly products, such as HVAC/furnace filters and bedding, but, it might come as a surprise that even some home materials, such as paint and flooring, can be friendlier for allergy and asthma sufferers. Within 46 different product categories, there are over 200 products in the U.S. that have passed the

NEW ORLEANS — Only a minority of teenagers with asthma got substantial advice and assistance from their pediatricians in how to manage their condition as adults, according to a small single-center study reported here. Young adults surveyed about their experiences in transitioning to adult asthma care mostly got no help from their regular doctors until

NEW ORLEANS — Meet Sally. She’s a 10-year-old who had an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts as a toddler. Although she can’t remember it, and hasn’t had another one like it, she worries incessantly about peanut exposure. She runs from the room if she smells peanuts, won’t eat in the school lunchroom, won’t go on playdates

NEW ORLEANS — Although 2017 government-endorsed guidelines called for introducing peanuts in infancy in order to minimize risk of future allergy, few parents are getting that message from their pediatricians, survey results indicate. Among 3,062 parents of young children participating in the survey earlier this year, only 58% recalled any discussion with their child’s pediatrician

NEW ORLEANS — As the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (ACAAI) annual meeting gets underway on Friday, attendees — online and in person here — can catch up on the latest news on allergy prevention and management, as well as the gamut of topics summed up in the organization’s name. Some of the

Two monoclonal antibodies directed toward different interleukin (IL) targets produced wildly different results in randomized phase II trials involving asthma. On the plus side, an IL-33 inhibitor called itepekimab appeared to help patients keep their asthma under control better than placebo, reported Michael Wechsler, MD, of National Jewish Health in Denver, and colleagues. While on

If you suffer from allergies, you likely feel the everyday impacts allergies can cause. We have good news — there is a safe, cost-effective, and convenient option available that might help you enjoy everyday activities and live your ideal lifestyle without worrying about allergies slowing you down. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), commonly known as allergy drops,