Adequate vitamin D may help with asthma control Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology: Asthmatic children with vitamin D deficiency have more symptoms and use more corticosteroids, according to an April 12 online report in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology. The study also suggests that vitamin D supplements “might potentiate the anti-inflammatory function…
Can you outgrow a shrimp allergy? Shellfish allergies are responsible for most emergency room department visits in food-allergic adults, and have generally been thought to be life-long. But a new study, conducted by Rosalia Ayuso, MD, and colleagues at Mount Sinai, has found that sufferers may build up a tolerance to shrimp as they grow…
Peanut allergy on the rise The prevalence of peanut allergy among children tripled between 1997 and 2008, researchers found. Respondents to a telephone survey reported that 1.4% of children had peanut allergies, up from just 0.4% a decade earlier, Scott Sicherer, MD, of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues reported…
Fetal tobacco exposure promotes asthma NEW ORLEANS — Maternal smoking during pregnancy may exert a more powerful influence on asthma development in children than postnatal secondhand smoke or breastfeeding by smoking moms, researchers said here. Children of different ethnicities with exposure in utero to tobacco smoking were at nearly six times as likely to develop…
Allergy blood tests – easy to order, hard to interpret The allergy blood test, often called the RAST, tests for the presence of allergic antibody, or IgE, in the blood. Over the past several years, this test has become increasingly popular. While the allergy blood test has become more accurate over the years, and can be…
Sublingual immunotherapy – not ready for prime time There have recently been a number of practitioners, mostly non-allergists, offering sublingual immunotherapy, or “allergy drops.” Allergy drops have become increasingly popular in Europe, where high concentration drops are approved and available. While studies in Europe have shown that these drops have some efficacy, they have generally been found less effective…
Food allergy awareness key to successful management in schools Food allergy is a growing safety concern across the United States and creates challenges for all educators and parents in our nation’s schools. As the State of Connecticut begins another school year, it is important to point out that public awareness about the seriousness of food…
Hypoallergenic Hotel Rooms Advance Connecticut Allergist Kenneth Backman, MD, notes many companies, including hotels, are becoming more sensitive to those with allergies. The following is a brief part of a larger story from the New York Times. Click for the full story. From the Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel to the Mandarin Oriental in Miami, hotels…
Sublingual Immunotherapy help kids with Food Allergies? Despite some recent studies exploring the use of oral or sublingual immunotherapy, Dr. Kenneth Backman emphasizes that it is still experimental and should not be tried at home. As the story from HealthDay News notes below, there are many dangers in their use. Also, sublingual immunotherapy is not…
Warning: Zicam Nasal Products Says Dr. Backman: Patients should immediately discontinue using Zicam products, and discard any of the listed items so they are not accidentally used in the future. Discontinue use of three Zicam Nasal Gel/Nasal Swab products sold over-the-counter as cold remedies as they are associated with the loss of sense of smell…