Journal Chest -- March 2008 news briefs( COULD ASTHMA DROPS BE ON THE HORIZO...),Health

COULD ASTHMA DROPS BE ON THE HORIZON?

Children with allergic asthma may benefit from an oral therapy designed to increase tolerance to allergens that trigger asthma and, in turn, decrease asthma symptoms and medication use. In a meta-analysis, researchers from the University of Genoa in Italy reviewed the results of nine studies (441 patients, ages 3 to 18 years) involving sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for allergic asthma in children. SLIT involves the oral administration of allergen exacts, either through soluble tablets or drops. Researchers found that SLIT reduced both symptom scores and rescue medication use in children with allergic asthma compared with placebo. Furthermore, the majority of adverse effects associated with SLIT were mild and self-resolving. Researchers conclude that SLIT is clinically effective in asthma in children; however, additional research should be conducted to determine the most effective dose and regimen of administration. Although widely used in Europe, SLIT is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States. This study is published in the March issue of the journal CHEST.

COMMON DRUG HELPS ALZHEIMER PATIENTS SLEEP BETTER

Patients suffering from Alzheimer disease often experience sleep-disordered breathing, but a new study shows that a drug, commonly used to treat the cognitive symptoms of the disease, may also help to curb sleep disturbances in these patients. In a randomized, double-blind design, researchers from Stanford University and Brazils Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, evaluated the effect of donepezil on obstructive sleep apnea in 23 patients with Alzheimer disease. The patients were allocated to two groups, donepezil-treated (11) and placebo-treated (12), and polysomnography and cognitive evaluations were performed at baseline and 3 months. Following the test period, researchers found that oxygen saturation, apnea-hypopnea index scores, and c
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