April Medical Journal Review

WAO's monthly review of premiere journal articles for practicing allergists
(ALL, AJRCCM, CEA, ERJ, IAAI, JACI, J of P, LAN, NEJM, SC)

1. TWO NEW ASTHMA GENES OR CHROMOSOMES INCREASE ASTHMA RISK BY 2.5 TIMES. One, the G protein-coupled receptor for asthma susceptibility (GPRA), produces a G protein-coupled receptor class of molecules useful as drug target. The other gene does not appear to code for a protein. Laitinen T et al, Science 2004;304:300.

2. REDUCED AIRWAY FUNCTION IN EARLY INFANCY ASSOCIATED WITH PERSISTENT WHEEZE AT ELEVEN YEARS OF AGE. Relationship independent of increased airway responsiveness and atopy in childhood. Turner SW et al, Am J Respir Crit Care Medicine 2004;169:921.

3. SPECIFIC TOLL-LIKE RECEPTOR 2 R753Q POLYMORPHISM DEFINES SEVERE PHENOTYPE OF ATOPIC DERM. Polymorphism increases susceptibility to infection with S. Aureus. Ahmad-Nejad P et al, JACI 2004;113:565.

4. ALLERGIC RHINITIS AND ITS IMPACT ON ASTHMA (ARIA) IN THE PHARMACY: MANAGEMENT OF ALLERGIC RHINITIS SYMPTOMS IN THE PHARMACY. Provides guidelines for pharmacy recommendations for treatment of allergic rhinitis. Bousquet J et al, Allergy 2004;59:373.

5. TREATMENT OF ALLERGIC RHINITIS AFFECTS FREQUENCY OF ASTHMA EXACERBATIONS. Either nasal corticosteroids or secondary generation antihistamines associated with a lower risk of asthma related emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Corren J et al, JACI 2004;113:415.

6. LIFE-THREATENING ANAPHYLAXIS OCCURRED IN 226 SUBJECTS OVER THREE YEARS IN CANTON, BERN, SWITZERLAND (940,000 SUBJECTS). Hymenoptera caused 59%, drugs 18%, and foods 10%. Incidence of life-threatening anaphylaxis is 7.9 to 9.6 per 100,000 per year. Helbling A et al, Clin Exp Allergy 2004;34:285.

7. SPREAD OF SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME VIRUS (SARS) CONSISTENT WITH THE SPREAD OF VIRUS-LADEN AEROSALS. Airborne spread explains a large community outbreak of SARS. Ignatius TS et al, NEJM 2004; 350: 1731.

8. CASE-CONTROLLED STUDY OF VIRAL SAMPLES FROM MS PATIENTS INDICATES ASSOCIATION BETWEEN EBV INFECTION AND PEDIATRIC MS. Serological evidence for remote EBV infection present 83% of patients studied. Alotaibi S et al, JAMA 2004;291:1875.

9. OUTDOOR AEROALLERGENS ASSOCIATED WITH HOSPITALIZATION FOR ASTHMA IN CANADA. Such allergens include: basidiomycetes, ascomycetes, deuteromycetes, weeds, trees, and grasses. Ozone may exacerbate this association. Dales RE et al, JACI 2004;113:303.

10. COCKROACH ALLERGENS (BLA G 1 AND BLA G 2) IN LOW INCOME URBAN HOUSING REDUCED THROUGH A COMBINED INTERVENTION PROGRAM (occupant education, insecticide application and professional cleaning). Arbes SJ et al, JACI 2004;113:109.

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