Tag: asthma

Genetic predisposition for obesity increases risk of asthma

Some cases of asthma might be avoided by maintaining a healthy weight.

Asthma might weaken the body’s immune system

Individuals with asthma suffer more infections and should be under greater medical supervision, says scientist behind new study.

Taking fish oil while pregnant prevents childhood asthma

Children’s risk of developing asthma decreases significantly if the mother takes fish oil during the last trimester of pregnancy. The effect is especially strong among women who eat little fish and have a particular genetic variant.

Pre-eclampsia increases risk of asthma in childhood

New research shows that children whose mothers suffer from pre-eclampsia during pregnancy are more likely to develop asthma later in life.

No proof of vitamin D preventing asthma in children

Two studies of 1,500 pregnant women looked at whether vitamin D supplements could prevent asthma in children, but the results are inconclusive.

Antibiotics are effective at treating asthma

Antibiotics reduced the number of sick days caused by asthma attacks in young children by more than 50 per cent, shows new study.

Crohn's, eczema, and psoriasis have the same genetic cause

Diseases like Crohn's, psoriasis, and eczema are all caused by defects in the same genes, reveals new study.

Granny’s cigs can cause grandchild’s asthma

A Swedish study indicates that the risk of childhood asthma increases if a child’s maternal grandmother smoked while pregnant.

Granny’s smoking increases grandchildren’s risk of asthma

Children may have a forty per cent higher chance of developing asthma if their grandmother smoked whilst pregnant.

Side effects from asthma medicine are underreported

Danish scientists find evidence of underreporting of severe side effects from asthma medicine in clinical trials.

Antibiotic use during pregnancy doesn’t increase asthma risk

Using antibiotics during pregnancy will not increase child's risk of developing asthma, reveals new study. Instead, a weak immune system seems to be the culprit.

Farm life is beneficial for pregnant women

Children living on farms have a reduced risk of developing allergies. Now researchers know more about why.

Swimming pool hall air can trigger asthma in elite swimmers

Although professional swimmers lead healthier lives than the average population, they have almost twice the prevalence of asthma symptoms. The air in indoor swimming pools may explain this paradox.

New asthma susceptibility gene identified

Scientists have identified a gene that helps trigger asthma attacks in children. The gene has no effect on asthma in adults. The discovery thus confirms the hypothesis that ‘asthma’ covers a variety of diseases.

Pregnant women with pets have more vaginal E. coli

Intestinal bacteria from dogs and cats appear to colonise pregnant women’s vagina, which can increase the risk of e.g. urinary tract infections. This may be caused by the bacteria travelling from the animal via the woman’s hands to her vagina.

’Allergy genes’ identified

Scientists have identified the ten main genes responsible for inherited allergies. The discovery may also reveal the cause of the rising incidence of type 1 diabetes.

Common cold can trigger asthma

If a child’s body contains certain genetic variants, a common cold is enough to trigger asthma, new study reveals.

Diet soda and no fish can harm mother and baby

Artificial sweeteners and a diet poor in fish may harm the pregnant woman and her baby.

Plumbers and hairdressers share asthma threat

Plumbers, hairdressers and painters risk developing asthma from the chemicals they encounter, despite regulations for protective gear and other safeguards.

Mum’s pollen exposure links to baby’s asthma

Heavy pollen exposure in late pregnancy raises the risk of asthma early in life for the baby. If a mother smokes, however, pollen in the air during a baby’s first three months is less likely to trigger asthma.

Mother’s antibiotics can give baby asthma

Taking antibiotics during pregnancy increases the risk of the baby developing asthma. Disrupted bacterial composition appears to be the culprit.

Paracetamol increases asthma risk in children

New study confirms suspicions that paracetamol increases the risk of asthma in children.

Traffic pollution threatens young lungs

Infants who live along streets with heavy traffic run higher risks of problems with impaired lung functions.

Genetic defect may give us more vitamin D

A special genetic mutation is known to cause eczema and asthma. But people with this mutation also have more vitamin D in their blood.

Asthma starts in mother’s womb

Pioneering study finds that children’s asthma starts developing already at the foetal stage.

Air pollution hospitalises small children

Rising numbers of small children are hospitalised with asthma when air pollution increases, new study shows. One surprising finding is that ultra-fine particles from road traffic play only a little role.