Leukotrienes can be found in the airway and urine following both spontaneous exacerbations of asthma and acute exposure to bronchoconstrictor stimuli in the laboratory. This in turn indicates that they may have a role in the pathogenesis of acute episodes of bronchoconstriction. Although antileukotrienes are not currently advocated in the management of acute asthma, there are data to suggest that they might be of some potential benefit. Prior treatment with montelukast asthma has been shown in several studies to significantly shorten the time taken to recover (in terms of FEV 1 ) following exposure to a bronchoconstrictor stimulus. (more…)
Despite optimum drug delivery and good compliance with inhaled corticosteroids, many patients experience symptoms and exacerbat ...
Current internationally recognized guidelines indicate that symptomatic asthmatics using a low to medium inhaled corticosteroid ...
The prevalence of aspirin-sensitive asthma is uncertain although it may exist in up to 20% of all asthmatics patients. The char ...
Montelukast has proven efficacy in the treatment of chronic asthma and seasonal allergic rhinitis, but it has not been evaluate ...
The guidelines for asthma management recommend the use of regular inhaled corticosteroid in patients with mild persistent asthma, b ...
Normally present at very low levels in plasma, antibodies of the immunoglobulin E (IgE) isotype were first discovered in 1967, decades after the description of IgA, IgG, and IM. IgE antibodies are produced primarily by plasma cells in mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue and their levels are uniformly elevated in patients suffering from atopic conditions like allergic rhinitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis. Production of allergen-specific IgE in atopic individuals is driven both by a genetic predisposition to the synthesis of this isotype as well as by environmental factors, including chronic allergen exposure. (more…)
The precise mechanisms underlying the effects of Specific Immunotherapy are not well understood but several studies have shown ...
Our current knowledge for trigger factor and food allergy intolerance is still in it infancy level. We already known that the aller ...
Treatment with omalizumab has been shown to reduce serum free IgE concentrations and to have beneficial effects on allergic airway ...
A paradigm of immune development underlies allergy development and progression in early childhood. Briefly, the immune system o ...
IgE plays an important role in allergic asthma. Reducing IgE in the airway mucosa should reduce airway inflammation. Omalizumab has ...
Maintenance of asthma control by once-daily inhaled ciclesonide nasal spray in adults with persistent asthma. Ciclesonide is an inhaled corticosteroid that is converted to an active metabolite, desisobutyryl ciclesonide, in the lungs, thereby minimizing effects on endogenous cortisol inflammation. The goal of finding newer, safer corticosteroids for the management of asthma has led to the development of this inhaled corticosteroid.
This 12-week, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ciclesonide in adults with persistent asthma. Efficacy was monitored with asthma symptom scores, rescue medication use, morning and evening peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) measurements, spirometry, and the probability of study completion without experiencing lack of efficacy. It was concluded that ciclesonide (160 or 640 µg) once daily in the morning maintains asthma control effectively, does not affect cortisol levels, and has an adverse event profile comparable with that of placebo in adults with primarily mild to moderate asthma.
It has been reported previously that, compared with fluticasone, ciclesonide possesses equivalent anti-inflammatory efficacy, through pulmonary activation, with a significantly improved safety profile. Since it has low bioavailability because it is metabolized by the lung, it is believed to cause minimal systemic adverse effects. It was found that the morning peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) and FEV 1 values from patient diaries decreased significantly in patients switched from their usual inhaled corticosteroids therapy to placebo but remained stable in patients switched to either dose of ciclesonide (160 or 640 µg). Furthermore, in patients switched to placebo there were significant increases in daily asthma symptoms and the use of rescue medication, with no significant changes from baseline in patients switched to either dose of ciclesonide. Mean changes from baseline in serum and urinary cortisol levels were not statistically significant in any of the treatment groups. Adverse effects were mild, with no reported cases of oral candidiasis.
In conclusion, once-daily inhaled ciclesonide nasal spray (160 or 640 µg) was superior to placebo in the maintenance of asthma control in adult patients previously treated with moderate doses of inhaled corticosteroids, without any significant adverse effects.
The new corticosteroid ciclesonide has been evaluated in various studies to assess its efficacy and adverse effect profile in a ...
This study was similar to the study of Harrison and colleagues, which looked at doubling the dose of inhaled corticosteroid dur ...
The guidelines for asthma management recommend the use of regular inhaled corticosteroid in patients with mild persistent asthma, b ...
Roflumilast is an oral, once-daily PDE4 inhibitor with antiinflammatory activity in development for the treatment of asthma. Ro ...
Patients with severe persistent asthma who are inadequately controlled despite Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) 2002 step 4 ther ...
Topical corticosteroids are the usual therapy for patients with atopic dermatitis, but prolonged use can result in skin atrophy and other side effects. The long-term safety and efficacy of tacrolimus ointment would prove an attractive alternative. Long-term treatment with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment is significantly more efficacious than a corticosteroid ointment regimen in adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. (more…)
Topical corticosteroids are the usual therapy for patients with atopic dermatitis, but prolonged use can result in skin atrophy ...
The pharmacokinetics of pimecrolimus cream 1% and tacrolimus ointment 0.1% in adults with extensive, moderate to severe atopic ...
Atopic Dermatitis is a chronic relapsing skin disease. Several investigations concerning the long-term prognosis of Atopic Derm ...
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the skin which usually starts in infancy. It is sometimes called ‘atop ...
Atopic Dermatitis is considered to be one of the first manifestations in the atopic march. The aim of this study was to investi ...
Anti-IgE therapy could be particularly beneficial for patients with concomitant asthma and rhinitis as it targets a common factor in the two diseases. Omalizumab is significantly more efficacious than placebo in preventing asthma exacerbations and in improving disease-related quality of life scores when added to standard asthma and rhinitis therapies. (more…)
Patients with severe persistent asthma who are inadequately controlled despite Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) 2002 step 4 ther ...
Treatment with omalizumab has been shown to reduce serum free IgE concentrations and to have beneficial effects on allergic airway ...
IgE plays an important role in allergic asthma. Reducing IgE in the airway mucosa should reduce airway inflammation. Omalizumab has ...
Allergic rhinitis is a very common problem associated with poor quality of life, reductions in social and work activities and p ...
This study evaluated budesonide formoterol efficacy and safety of a novel asthma management strategy for both maintenance and s ...
In asthma, the secretory phospholipases A2 (sPLA2) have been implicated in the release of arachidonic acid from cellular membranes, the generation of lysophospholipids, the sPLA2-mediated activation of cellular PLA2 (cPLA2) with increased Leukotriene Receptor Antagonist synthesis, and the breakdown of surfactant. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, random-order crossover study, a potent inhibitor of sPLA2, LY333013, was assessed. (more…)
Marimastat is a synthetic broad-spectrum matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor. This study assessed the anti-inflammatory effect ...
Asthma is a common condition among pregnant women and the use of inhaled corticosteroids has been associated with an increased ...
Roflumilast is an oral, once-daily inhibitor of phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) that prevents the breakdown of cyclic adenosine ...
Roflumilast is an oral, once-daily PDE4 inhibitor with antiinflammatory activity in development for the treatment of asthma. Ro ...
Tumour Necrosis Factor is a pro-inflammatory cytokine implicated in the pathogenesis of asthmatic airway inflammation, hyper-react ...
For most patients, asthma is not controlled as defined by guidelines; whether this is achievable has not been prospectively studied. It is also not known whether combination LABA ICS therapy is more likely to achieve this than an increased dose of ICS.
Control was achieved more rapidly and at a lower inhaled corticosteroid asthma dose with salmeterol/fluticasone than with fluticasone. This study confirms that the goal of guideline derived asthma control was achieved in most of the patients. (more…)
Two long-acting ß 2 -adrenergic agonists (LABAs), salmeterol and formoterol, have been demonstrated to be safe and effective ag ...
This study evaluated budesonide formoterol efficacy and safety of a novel asthma management strategy for both maintenance and s ...
The role of oral and inhaled corticosteroids in the management of acute asthma is well known. This study compared the effects of in ...
Patients with severe persistent asthma who are inadequately controlled despite Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) 2002 step 4 ther ...
Adjusting the inhaled glucocorticoid dose based on indices of airway inflammation has been proposed as a means of achieving more ef ...
Lidocaine is a local anaesthetic that possesses the ability to potently shorten eosinophil survival. This study assessed the safety and efficacy of nebulized lidocaine in a randomized, placebo-controlled study in patients with mild to moderate asthma.
Fifty subjects were recruited (18 male and 32 female) to receive lidocaine (25) or placebo (25). All the subjects had a pre-bronchodilator FEV 1 of 60–125% of the predicted normal value and were treated daily with inhaled glucocorticoids (but not systemic glucocorticoids) and bronchodilators for at least 2 months. (more…)
Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) is a major therapeutic target in a range of chronic inflammatory disorders involving neutr ...
Anticholinergic agents, including nebulized glycopyrrolate, a potent but non-selective muscarinic receptor blocker, have been f ...
Maintenance of asthma control by once-daily inhaled ciclesonide nasal spray in adults with persistent asthma. Ciclesonide is an ...
Leukotrienes can be found in the airway and urine following both spontaneous exacerbations of asthma and acute exposure to bron ...
Treating allergic rhinitis may have a downstream effect on concomitant asthma and this may be due to attenuation of the underlying ...
Marimastat is a synthetic broad-spectrum matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor. This study assessed the anti-inflammatory effects of marimastat in patients with asthma by reducing TNF-aa production in vivo by inhibiting MMP activity and hence TNF-aa release. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the effects of this MMP inhibitor on allergen-induced hyper-reactivity. The study was designed as a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial. (more…)
Tumour Necrosis Factor is a pro-inflammatory cytokine implicated in the pathogenesis of asthmatic airway inflammation, hyper-react ...
Roflumilast is an oral, once-daily inhibitor of phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) that prevents the breakdown of cyclic adenosine ...
In asthma, the secretory phospholipases A2 (sPLA2) have been implicated in the release of arachidonic acid from cellular membra ...
IgE plays an important role in allergic asthma. Reducing IgE in the airway mucosa should reduce airway inflammation. Omalizumab has ...
Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) is a major therapeutic target in a range of chronic inflammatory disorders involving neutr ...
The specific treatment of allergy has previously relied upon allergen avoidance and sublingual immunotherapy. These approaches have been used predominantly in hymenoptera venom and aero-allergen-driven disease when previous food allergy immunotherapy has been unsuccessful. (more…)
The precise mechanisms underlying the effects of Specific Immunotherapy are not well understood but several studies have shown ...
Allergen-specific immunotherapy aims to correct the underlying immune imbalance associated with specific immunotherapy allergic rhi ...
Histamine is a low-molecular-weight monoamine that binds to four different G-protein-coupled receptors, and has recently been d ...
Allergen-specific immunotherapy is highly effective in the treatment of IgE-mediated allergy diseases such as rhinitis, conjunc ...
The increasing prevalence of allergic disease in the Western world has led to the concept of the ‘allergic march’ to describe t ...