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WHAT: May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month and experts from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) are available to discuss current asthma research focused on treatment, causes and comorbidities of this condition that affects more than 24 million people in the United States, including more than six million children.
NHLBI funded researchers have made significant progress in targeting treatments to specific asthma patients. James Kiley, Ph.D., director of the NHLBI Division of Lung Diseases is available for interviews on the findings and implications of these studies.
A study conducted by the NHLBI's Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP) identified several factors associated with exacerbation prone asthma (EPA), including levels of blood eosinophil, a type of white blood cell, body mass index, and bronchodilator responsiveness. Asthma exacerbations are common, severe events that can be life-threatening and accelerate loss of lung function. The results of the study suggest that EPA could be identified with distinctive clinical characteristics and this may lead to tailored prevention strategies for patients.
STUDY: Inflammatory and comorbid features of patients with severe asthma and frequent exacerbations
An NHLBI-funded clinical trial found that assessing sensitivity to airborne pollutants and checking the levels of eosinophil through a blood test helps in selecting treatment for children younger than five who need to be treated daily for asthma. This is a challenging population to treat without a definite asthma diagnosis and given the risks of inhaled steroids for children’s growth.
STUDY: Individualized therapy for persistent asthma in young children
An NHLBI AsthmaNet trial identified differences in the bronchial microbiome, the bacteria found in the airways of healthy people, those with allergies but no asthma, and people with mild asthma. These are associated with immunological and clinical characteristics of the disease. In the people with asthma, the bronchial microbiome were altered by using inhaled steroids, a common treatment. These findings may offer new targets for treatment or identify patients most likely to respond to specific treatments.
In an NHLBI-funded study of children with mild, persistent asthma, scientists found that, contrary to what some prior reports suggested, acetaminophen was tolerated just as well as ibuprofen without worsening of asthma.
STUDY: Acetaminophen versus Ibuprofen in young children with mild persistent asthma
WHO: James Kiley, Ph.D., Director, Division of Lung Diseases, NHLBI, NIH
Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) plans, conducts, and supports research related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases; and sleep disorders. The Institute also administers national health education campaigns on women and heart disease, healthy weight for children, and other topics. NHLBI press releases and other materials are available online at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.