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Adult smoking rate may be falling again; down to 18 percent last year
Posted: 6/18/2013
From The Washington Post:
Fewer U.S. adults are smoking, a new government report says.
Last year, about 18 percent of adults participating in a national health survey described themselves as current smokers.
The nation's smoking rate generally has been falling for decades, but had seemed to stall at around 20 to 21 percent for about seven years. In 2011, the rate fell to 19 percent, but that might have been a statistical blip.
Health officials are analyzing the 2012 findings and have not yet concluded why the rate dropped, a spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The CDC released its study Tuesday.
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Blood tests may predict COPD flare-ups
Posted: 6/17/2013
From Medline Plus:
People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who have signs of chronic inflammation in their blood are more likely to have flare-ups of the lung disease than those who do not, a large new study shows.
In addition to the slow, steady deterioration in lung function caused by COPD, patients can have sudden, distressing flare-ups. These so-called "exacerbations" are periods of worsening breathing problems that are typically triggered by infections or air pollution.
Patients who experience frequent flare-ups decline more quickly than those who do not; they also tend to have worse quality of life and poorer survival rates than those whose conditions are more stable, according to background information in the study.
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Asthma impacts kids' sleep, grades
Posted: 6/17/2013
From Allergic Living:
Asthma symptoms can have a highly detrimental effect on both sleep quality and school performance in children living in urban areas says a recent study.
The findings of this continuing study, which so far includes 170 parent and child groups, were presented at the annual meeting of the American Thoracic Society in May 2013.
By examining symptom diaries, speaking to teachers and measuring air flow rates of the kids with asthma, researchers found that children with poorly controlled asthma produced lower-quality schoolwork when compared to kids with better asthma control. The more severe the symptoms, the more negatively the school work was affected.
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Secondhand smoke lengthens hospitalization in infants with respiratory infection
Posted: 6/17/2013
From Healio Pediatrics:
Infants with a family history of allergic disease with lower respiratory tract infections exposed to secondhand smoke have an increased risk of longer hospital stays, according to recent study results published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
"Respiratory infections in infants are common, but if the infant has a family history of respiratory issues such as asthma, they are at higher risk for infection and hospitalizations," Meghan Lemke, MD, of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, said in a press release. "Our research found that infants with a family history of allergic disease who are also exposed to secondhand smoke had a 23% longer hospital stay than those without secondhand smoke exposure."
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Smokers cost employers thousands more than nonsmokers
Posted: 6/7/2013
From HealthDay News:
Compared to nonsmoking employees, every staff member who lights up costs their employer nearly $6,000 more each year, according to a new report.
The researchers found that more time off, smoking breaks and added health care costs were to blame for this discrepancy. The findings could have implications for smoking policies in the workplace, they suggested.
"Employees who smoke impose significant excess costs on private employers," Micah Berman, of the College of Public Health & Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University, and colleagues wrote. "The results of this study may help inform employer decisions about tobacco-related policies."
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Children with milk allergy may be 'allergic to school'
Posted: 6/7/2013
From HealthCanal:
Many of today's school teachers opt for dustless chalk to keep hands and classrooms clean. But according to a study published in the May issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), this choice in chalk may cause allergy and asthma symptoms in students that have a milk allergy.
Casein, a milk protein, is often used in low-powder chalk. When milk allergic children inhale chalk particles containing casein, life-threatening asthma attacks and other respiratory issues can occur.
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Sleep may ease asthma in teens
Posted: 6/4/2013
From MedPage Today:
A pilot sleep extension program for teens with asthma was associated with improved daytime lung function and fewer nighttime symptoms, researchers reported here.
Teens with asthma who got more sleep during an experimental sleep extension program had significantly fewer nocturnal asthma symptoms (P=0.001) and less variability in objective daily lung function (P=0.05), according to Lisa Meltzer, MD, of the National Jewish Health Center in Denver, Colo., and colleagues.
Longer sleep among teens with asthma was also associated with moderate effects on executive functioning, Meltzer said during an oral presentation at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies meeting.
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COPD linked to insomnia, hospital stays
Posted: 6/4/2013
From MedPage Today:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was associated with increased risks of insomnia symptoms and hospitalizations, researchers reported here.
Based on survey data of noninstitutionalized participants, roughly half of those with COPD had insomnia symptoms (48.1%), twice the rate of those without COPD, according to Maurice Ohayon, MD, PhD, of the Stanford Sleep Epidemiology Research Center in Palo Alto, Calif.
Co-occurrence of mental disorders with insomnia symptoms also increased likelihood of hospitalization by four times among those with COPD, Ohayon said in a poster session during the SLEEP meeting.
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No smoking outside Starbucks shops starting Saturday
Posted: 6/3/2013
From NPR:
Starbucks is moving its smoking ban outdoors.
Starting Saturday, according to signs posted in its more than 7,000 shops across the U.S. and Canada, "the no-smoking policy ... will include outdoor areas."
"Smoking will be restricted within 25 feet of the store and within outdoor seating areas," the notices read.
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Weary of high Chicago asthma rates, some lobby Washington
Posted: 6/3/2013
From WBEZ:
The asthma hospitalization rate in Chicago remains significantly higher than the national average. While the origins of the disease remain elusive, mounting evidence has made its risk factors more clear, and Chicago has somewhat of a perfect storm for asthma problems.
Part of the city's above-average rate is demographic. Minorities have a higher prevalence of asthma. Puerto Ricans even when sharing the same environmental conditions as other ethnic groups, suffer higher asthma rates. African-Americans, too, are significantly more likely to have asthma than non-Hispanic Whites, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
And while the demographic trend is towards higher risk for asthma in cities like Chicago, the "triggers" that set off asthma attacks are also clustered in and around the nation-s major metros.
"Having the disease is one thing. Having it under control is another," said Brian Urbaszewski, director of environmental health programs for Respiratory Health Association.
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Gene mutation causes asthma
Posted: 5/28/2013
From Medical News Today:
A team of researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College, Columbia University Medical Center and SUNY Downstate Medical Center have found the cause of a common type of childhood asthma, and it's not rooted in allergens.
The way in which asthma develops is a subject of much scientific interest, considering that the way it develops and affects people varies considerably.
The team identified that an over-active gene "ORMDL3" was linked to around 30 percent of childhood asthma cases. The gene is responsible for disrupting the synthesis of lipid molecules (known as sphingolipids). They aren't fully sure how a reduced production of sphingolipids can cause asthma, yet the results of their study clearly indicate there is a link.
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Asthma symptoms hinder children's sleep and school performance
Posted: 5/23/2013
From TIME Health & Family:
Sneezing and wheezing can make children feel miserable, and that discomfort can hamper how well they do in school.
About 7.1 million children in the U.S. live with asthma, and its health consequences are well known; inflamed lung tissue can contribute to lasting lung damage as well as make breathing difficult. But the latest study shows that enduring these symptoms can take a toll on other aspects of children's lives as well.
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FTC releases reports on 2011 cigarette and smokeless tobacco ads and promotions
Posted: 5/22/2013
From Federal Trade Commission:
The amount spent on cigarette advertising and promotion by the largest cigarette companies in the United States rose from $8.05 billion in 2010 to $8.37 billion in 2011, due mainly to an increase in spending on price discounts, or discounts paid to cigarette retailers or wholesalers in order to reduce the price of cigarettes to consumers. Spending on price discounts increased from $6.49 billion in 2010 to $7.00 billion in in 2011. The price discounts category was the largest one in 2011, as it has been each year since 2002.
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Pain relievers do not cause asthma, study finds
Posted: 5/22/2013
From The New York Times:
Some parents have been worried about giving their children pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, based on reports that children who take the drugs are more likely to develop asthma. Researchers have even speculated that the rising prevalence of asthma was a result of wider use of acetaminophen, sold under the brand name Tylenol, in treating childhood fevers.
But a new study suggests that the relationship may be little more than a statistical oversight.
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Pedometers lead to more walking, fewer exacerbations in COPD
Posted: 5/21/2013
From Medscape:
A program of walking enhancement is therapeutic for patients with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study has shown.
Advice alone was not sufficient to reverse patients' sedentary ways. However, the researchers found that a pedometer intervention helped patients by allowing them to monitor their activity levels and providing them with objective feedback of their progress.
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