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Asthma
This page was written by Shelley Ensz, and has not yet been medically edited. See Disclaimer.
Overview of Asthma
Asthma and Autoimmunity
Causes of Asthma
Asthma Treatments
Patient Stories with Asthma
Overview of Asthma
Asthma is a chronic lung disease where inflammation causes your airways to narrow. Even though asthma is not considered an autoimmune disease, it is a chronic illness which requires the same attention as any other chronic illness. If you have asthma and an autoimmune disease, it is important to keep both under control to prevent one disease from affecting the other. ISN
Asthma. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways become sore and swollen. That makes them very sensitive, and they may react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When your airways react, they get narrower and your lungs get less air. This can cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and trouble breathing, especially early in the morning or at night. Medline Plus.
Mystery cough? 8 possible culprits. In a 2006 study of women with an average age of 48 who had a cough lasting for six months, 39 percent were found to have asthma, 9 percent had chronic upper airway cough syndrome (commonly known as postnasal drip), and 9 percent had gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Ray Hainer. CNNHealth.com. 06/19/09. (Also see: GERD)
Asthma and Autoimmunity
Subsequent Autoimmune or Related Disease in Asthma Patients: Clustering of Diseases or Medical Care? Asthma includes immunological components that may share mechanisms with autoimmune diseases. We analyzed the subsequent occurrence of any of 22 autoimmune and related conditions in hospitalized asthma patients. K. Hemminki, M.D., Phd. Annals of Epidemiology. Vol 20, Issue 3, Pages 217-222 (March 2010).
(PDF) Specific immunotherapy-related scleroderma. Case report. Because allergen-specific immunotherapy disturbs effector and regulator T cells balance, which determines immunological tolerance, it is necessary to get a clearer understanding of the existing association among allergy and autoimmunity before deciding to administer allergen-specific immunotherapy in patients with autoimmune diseases; that is why family history of autoimmunity in the first or second grade might contraindicate specific immunotherapy. Revista Alergia México 2009;56(4):135-44. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: T Cells)
Asthma and autoimmunity: a complex but intriguing relation. Asthma is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by chronic inflammation of the respiratory airways that can be triggered by allergen exposure or by other mechanisms, possibly autoreactive/autoimmune. The autoimmune hypothesis is further, indirectly, supported by the response to immunosuppressive drugs. (IngentaConnect) Tedeschi, A. Expert Review of Clinical Immunology. November 2008.
The Relation Between Gastroesophageal Reflux and Respiratory Symptoms in a Population-Based Study. Reflux symptoms commonly coexist with asthma and other respiratory symptoms on a population-based level, seemingly irrespective of asthma medication. Chest. 2006;129:1051-1056.. (Also see: Heartburn)
Causes of Asthma
A new view of Asthma's cause. Previously unrecognized immune cell may provide a better target for Asthma therapy. They examined specimens from the lungs of 25 adults: 14 with moderate-to-severe bronchial asthma, 6 healthy subjects and 5 patients with sarcoidosis, a respiratory inflammatory disease. eMaxHealth.com. 03/16/06.
Vitamin deficiency linked to asthma. There is yet another reason to eat your five a day after researchers discovered people who lacked certain vitamins were more likely to suffer from asthma. inthenews.co.uk. 04/06/09.
Spring Cleaning: Out With The Allergens And Mold. Spring cleaning? While clearing out cobwebs and boxing up old clothes, don't forget an invisible but crucial component of your home: the air you breathe. Here are five tips for spring-cleaning the air in your home to make it lung-friendly by reducing allergens and irritants. Medical News Today, 23 May 2009.
Acetaminophen use and the risk of asthma in children and adults: a systematic review and metaanalysis. The results of our review are consistent with an increase in the risk of asthma and wheezing in both children and adults exposed to acetaminophen. Future studies are needed to confirm these results. Chest. 2009 Nov;136(5):1316-23. (Also see: NSAIDS)
Asthma Treatments
Asthma Treatments and Drugs. Treatment for asthma generally involves avoiding the things that trigger your asthma attacks and taking one or more asthma medications. Mayo Clinic.
The impact of acupuncture and craniosacral therapy interventions on clinical outcomes in adults with asthma. Acupuncture and/or craniosacral therapy are potentially useful adjuncts to the conventional care of adults with asthma, but the combination of the two does not provide additional benefit over each therapy alone. Mehl-Madrona L. (PubMed) Explore (NY). 2007 Jan-Feb;3(1):28-36.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a public health advisory to alert patients, caregivers and health care professionals to switch to hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-propelled albuterol inhalers because chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-propelled inhalers will not be available in the United States after Dec. 31, 2008. FDA. 05/30/08. (Also see: FDA Warnings)
Personal Stories of Asthma
Dani: Chronic Adult Onset Asthma In the year 2000, a bad winter hit Woodland Hills, California. I was on my way to work...
Flora: Systemic Scleroderma with Bronchial Allergic Asthma I want to encourage all the people who suffer from scleroderma like me, so that they manage to beat this disease.
Beverly: CREST Scleroderma I began experiencing symptoms of Asthma, and Raynaud's Disease around 1996.
Jo P: Limited Scleroderma and Raynaud's I am fifty-four years old, married and work as a receptionist in a small northern Minnesota town.
Kath: Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma) I believe this all began when I first developed allergies after I became pregnant...
Lois: Fibromyalgia with Possible CREST When I was in tenth grade, Raynaud's started and a horrible kind of rash, which I still have thirty years later.
Jessica: Morphea I have always been an 'ill' child: eczema, asthma, hayfever and loads of allergies.
Stefan: Progressive Systemic Sclerosis Frankly it is terrifying to have this diagnosis but at the same time I at last know what is happening and that I am not imagining all these diffuse problems.
Papa V: Lupus (SLE), Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS), Myasthenia Gravis (MG), Scleroderma I finally got diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), fibromyalgia, then Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) was added along with Myasthenia Gravis. And now after more symptoms I also have scleroderma.
William M: Autoimmune Disease My rheumatologist is still not sure if it's Scleroderma, Lupus, or some combination. I think it is Systemic Scleroderma due my medical history and current signs and symptoms...My asthma has also become much more of a problem and I stay short of breath most of the time even with the oxygen.
 
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