Allergies, Author Interviews, Lung Cancer / 09.02.2014

Mariam El-Zein, PhD. Associée de recherche/ Research associate Unité d'épidémiologie et biostatistique / Epidemiology & Biostatistics Unit INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier Université du QuébecMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Mariam El-Zein, PhD. Associée de recherche/ Research associate Unité d'épidémiologie et biostatistique / Epidemiology & Biostatistics Unit INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier Université du Québec MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: The overall indication is that a prior history of allergic diseases (asthma, eczema or hay fever) might decrease lung cancer risk. There was a 36% (odds ratio= 0.64, 95% confidence intervals: 0.44-0.93) reduction in lung cancer risk among subjects who reported a history of asthma. Hay fever was associated with a 67% (odds ratio= 0.33, 95% confidence intervals: 0.19-0.59) reduction in lung cancer risk. Smoking was accounted for using a comprehensive smoking index that takes into account multiple dimensions of smoking behaviour (i.e., smoking status, intensity, duration, and time since cessation). A lower risk of lung cancer (reduction by 37%; odds ratio= 0.63, 95% confidence intervals: 0.38-1.07) was found among those having had eczema, but was not statistically significant. (more…)
Allergies, Asthma, Author Interviews, Dermatology / 05.02.2014

Sabina Illi, Dipl.-Stat., MPH University Children's Hospital Lindwurmstr. 4 80337 Munich GermanyMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Sabina Illi, Dipl.-Stat., MPH University Children's Hospital Lindwurmstr. 4 80337 Munich Germany MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: We observed that the offspring of atopic pregnant women that showed symptoms of atopy during pregnancy, i.e. atopic dermatitis or hay fever, had a higher risk of having the respective atopic disorder themselves. However, we do not know whether this is due to timing, i.e. pregnancy, or whether it merely mirrors the severity of maternal disease. Furthermore, in our study pregnant mothers with repeated colds during pregnancy were at increased risk of having a child that wheezed at pre-school age, this was statistically independent of the intake of medication. (more…)
Allergies, Author Interviews / 17.01.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Katja M Hakkarainen, M.Sc.Pharm. Doctoral researcher Nordic School of Public Health NHV Guest teacher, Doctoral studentSection for Social Medicine Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg Gothenburg, SwedenKatja M Hakkarainen, M.Sc.Pharm. Doctoral researcher Nordic School of Public Health NHV Guest teacher, Doctoral studentSection for Social Medicine Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg Gothenburg, Sweden MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: In total 12% of the adult general public was found to experience harm from medicines, i.e. adverse drug events (ADEs), when we scrutinised the medical and dispensing records of 4970 adults in Sweden during three months, including 29 inpatient care departments in three hospitals, 110 specialised outpatient clinics, and 51 primary care units. Most ADEs were adverse drug reactions (also called side effects) and sub-therapeutic effects. Commonly used drugs caused most ADEs, with a high frequency of adverse drug reactions from antidepressants and cardiovascular drugs as well as sub-therapeutic effects of analgesics and cardiovascular drugs. Of all ADEs, 39% were potentially preventable, because the drug therapy or use was judged suboptimal. (more…)
Allergies, Asthma, Author Interviews, Lancet / 15.01.2014

Mariona Pinart, PhD CREAL-Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology ISGlobal alliance Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona Doctor Aiguader, 88 | 08003 BarcelonaMedicalResearch.com Interveiw with: Mariona Pinart, PhD CREAL-Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology ISGlobal alliance Doctor Aiguader, 88 | 08003 Barcelona MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: The study examined 23.434 children at 4 and 8 years from 12 ongoing European population-based birth cohort studies that recorded information on current eczema, rhinitis, and asthma from questionnaires and serum-specific IgE to six allergens. We wanted to assess how often eczema, rhinitis and asthma coexist in the same children (comorbidity) and whether the occurrence of comorbidities was due to causality or casualty and finally we wanted to examine whether the occurrence of comorbidity was modified by IgE sensitization. We found that comorbidity affects about 4% of children aged 4–8 years and that about 50% of this comorbidity is due to causality, suggesting that these diseases share common pathophysiological mechanisms. In addition, we found that children comorbidity at age 4 are 30 to 60 times more likely to have comorbidity at age 8 years, suggesting that the presence of comorbidity at age 4 years is a strong determinant of comorbidity at age 8 years. Even children with one single disease are also at high risk of developing comorbidity by age 8 years. Interestingly, we found that not only comorbidity is present in children both sensitized and not sensitized to IgE but also that only 38% of incident comorbidity at age 8 years is explained by the presence of IgE sensitization at age 4 years. (more…)
Allergies, Author Interviews, JAMA, OBGYNE / 29.12.2013

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Michael C. Young, M.D. Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics Harvard Medical School Division of Allergy & Immunology Children's Hospital Boston MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Young: We found an association between increased maternal peripregnancy consumption of peanuts/ tree nuts and reduced risk of nut allergies in the offspring. (more…)
Allergies, Author Interviews, PLoS, Probiotics / 13.12.2013

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr Kamal Ivory Institute of Food Research Norwich Research Park Norwich, UK Gut Health & Food Safety ISP The Institute of Food Research receives strategic funding from BBSRC MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Ivory: In the present study we show that administration of probiotics in the gut can induce changes at the nasal mucosa where the immune system meets pollen allergen. This implies a potential to alter the course of allergic rhinitis. However, in our single high dose pollen challenge in the clinic (out of pollen season), we did not measure any significant changes in the clinical parameters we had set. It is not clear if this was because a single challenge fails to replicate occurrence during natural seasonal exposure to pollen in terms of dosage and timing. That aside, the mode of action may vary from one probiotic organism to another and it is possible that a cocktail of probiotic organisms may be needed for clinical effectiveness. If funding becomes available, we would like to repeat the study during the pollen season. (more…)
Allergies, Author Interviews, Emergency Care / 04.12.2013

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Brian Grunau MD Emergency Physician, St. Paul's Hospital Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC Department of Emergency Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Grunau: Among 2819 consecutive Emergency Department visits of patients with allergic reactions or anaphylaxis, five clinically important biphasic reactions were identified (0.18%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.07% to 0.44%), with two occurring during the ED visit and three post-discharge. There were no fatalities.  When examining patients who satisfied the definition for anaphylaxis and those who did not separately, clinically important biphasic reactions occurred in 2 patients (0.40%; 95% CI 0.07% to 1.6%) and 3 patients (0.13%; 95% CI 0.03% to 0.41%), respectively. (more…)
Allergies, Author Interviews, Heart Disease, Metabolic Syndrome, Pediatrics, Sleep Disorders, Surgical Research / 16.11.2013

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Nina Berentzen Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services National Institute for Public Health and the Environment Bilthoven The Netherlands MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: This study in 11-12 year old children shows that self-reported characteristics of sleep quality were not associated with blood pressure and HbA1c; and that in girls, but not in boys, some sleep characteristics were associated with anthropometric outcomes (BMI, waist circumference) and cholesterol levels. More specifically, in girls, longer time in bed was associated with lower BMI and waist circumference; having night-time awakenings with higher total cholesterol, going late to bed while rising early with higher total and HDL cholesterol; and feeling sleepy/tired during daytime with lower HDL cholesterol and with higher total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio. We report new findings for daytime outcomes of sleep quality that were not studied before in relation to cardiometabolic risk; e.g. difficulty with getting up in the morning, feeling rested after waking, and feeling sleepy or tired during the day. Our study therefore offers insight not only in characteristics of sleep at night, but also in consequences of sleep during the day. (more…)
Allergies, Author Interviews / 05.11.2013

Dr. Eric Macy, MD MS Southern California Permanente Medical Group Department of Allergy San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, CalifMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Eric Macy, MD MS Southern California Permanente Medical Group Department of Allergy San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, Calif   MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Macy: Admission to hospital with a history of penicillin allergy, though often inaccurate, is associated with significantly higher total hospital utilization along with significantly higher rates of MRSA, VRE, and Clostridium difficile infections. (more…)
Allergies, Author Interviews, NEJM / 24.10.2013

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Jian-Jun Liu Shangdong Provincial Institute of Dermatology and Venereology MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: ·      HLA-B*13:01 is associated with the development of dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome. ·      Carrying one copy of HLA-B*13:01 increases one’s risk by 34 times of getting DHS, while carrying two copies increases risk by 100 times as compared to not carrying this allele. ·      HLA-B*13:01 has a sensitivity and specificity of above 85% in predicting the risk of DHS, theoretically reducing the risk of DHS by 7 fold when implemented in clinical screening. (more…)
Allergies, Author Interviews / 09.05.2013

MedicalResearch.com eInterview with Author Peter S. Creticos, M.D. (corresponding author) Dr. Creticos' Comments: This paper reports the first successful randomized, double-blind, pivotal trial of sublingual immunotherapy with a ragweed tablet. The relevance of this lies in the recognition that ragweed is the dominant seasonal allergen in North America (~26% of US population is allergic to this noxious weed which pollinates from early August to early October). An alternate (sublingual) approach to immunotherapy for allergic respiratory disease would be a welcome addition to our armamentarium, as the current mode of treatment in the U.S., that of subcutaneous injection immunotherapy, is saddled with a burdensome injection regimen that requires frequent office visits over a 4-5 year course of treatment. (more…)
Allergies, Author Interviews / 15.03.2013

MedicalResearch.com Matthieu Picard, MD, FRCPC Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont Université de Montréal Montréal, Qc, Canada MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Picard: We found that patients reporting a history of penicillin allergy were often treated with penicillins despite their history of allergic reaction to that drug. In this study, which took place in a large tertiary-care academic hospital without allergists on staff, more than half of patients with a presumed penicillin allergy and a need for antibiotics were treated with beta-lactams, a class of antibiotics that includes penicillins and drugs that can cause allergic reactions in penicillin allergic individuals because of cross-reactivity. (more…)