Teens with asthma almost twice as likely to smoke as their healthy counterparts
Curiosity is a driving factor in why most kids start smoking, and the same is true for kids with asthma. A new study found adolescents with asthma were twice as likely to smoke as kids without asthma. And they continue to smoke well into their teen years, even though they know smoking is particularly bad for their lungs. Ref. Source 9m
Turning off asthma attacks
Working with human immune cells in the laboratory, researchers report they have identified a critical cellular "Off" switch for the inflammatory immune response that contributes to lung-constricting asthma attacks. The switch, they say, is composed of regulatory proteins that control an immune signaling pathway in cells. Ref. Source 3g.
Why is asthma worse in black patients?
African Americans may be less responsive to asthma treatment and more likely to die from the condition, in part, because they have a unique type of airway inflammation, according to a study. The study is one of the largest and most diverse trials conducted in the U.S. On race and asthma, with 26 percent of the patients self-identifying as African American. Researchers found that black patients were more likely to exhibit eosinophilic airway inflammation than whites, despite taking comparable doses of asthma medication, such as inhaled corticosteroids. Ref. Source 8j.
Exposure to larger air particles linked to increased risk of asthma in children. Researchers report statistical evidence that children exposed to airborne coarse particulate matter — a mix of dust, sand and non-exhaust tailpipe emissions, such as tire rubber — are more likely to develop asthma and need emergency room or hospital treatment for it than unexposed children. Source 9l.
Genetic variant discovery to help asthma sufferers. Researchers have identified a genetic variant that could improve the safety and effectiveness of corticosteroids, drugs that are used to treat a range of common and rare conditions including asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Source 6f.
People with asthma at higher risk of becoming obese. Obesity is known to be a risk factor for developing asthma but a new study shows that the reverse is also true: people with asthma are more likely to go on to become obese. The new research indicates that those who develop asthma as adults and those who have non-allergic asthma are at the greatest risk of obesity. Source 7k.