Browsing by Subject "asthma"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Childhood Asthma
    (South African Academy of Family Physicians, 2011) Levin, M; Weinberg, E
    Asthma is the most common chronic disease of South African children, affecting growth and development and quality of life. Features supporting the diagnosis are a family or personal history of atopy, night cough, exercise-induced cough and/or wheeze and seasonal variation in symptoms. Asthma is on the increase in both developed and developing countries, in both rural and urban communities. The first part of this series aims to give a brief overview of the epidemiology, pathophysiology and diagnosis of childhood asthma.
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    Efficacy in asthma of once-daily treatment with fluticasone furoate: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial
    (BioMed Central, 2011-12-01) Woodcock, Ashley; Bateman, Eric D; Busse, William W; Lötvall, Jan; Snowise, Neil G; Forth, Richard; Jacques, Loretta; Haumann, Brett; Bleecker, Eugene R
    Background: Fluticasone furoate (FF) is a novel long-acting inhaled corticosteroid (ICS). This double-blind, placebocontrolled randomized study evaluated the efficacy and safety of FF 200 mcg or 400 mcg once daily, either in the morning or in the evening, and FF 200 mcg twice daily (morning and evening), for 8 weeks in patients with persistent asthma. Methods: Asthma patients maintained on ICS for ≥ 3 months with baseline morning forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 50-80% of predicted normal value and FEV1 reversibility of ≥ 12% and ≥ 200 ml were eligible. The primary endpoint was mean change from baseline FEV1 at week 8 in pre-dose (morning or evening [depending on regimen], pre-rescue bronchodilator) FEV1. Results: A total of 545 patients received one of five FF treatment groups and 101 patients received placebo (intent-to-treat population). Each of the five FF treatment groups produced a statistically significant improvement in pre-dose FEV1 compared with placebo (p < 0.05). FF 400 mcg once daily in the evening and FF 200 mcg twice daily produced similar placebo-adjusted improvements in evening pre-dose FEV1 at week 8 (240 ml vs. 235 ml). FF 400 mcg once daily in the morning, although effective, resulted in a smaller improvement in morning pre-dose FEV1 than FF 200 mcg twice daily at week 8 (315 ml vs. 202 ml). The incidence of oral candidiasis was low (0-4%) and UC excretion was comparable with placebo for all FF groups. Conclusions: FF at total daily doses of 200 mcg or 400 mcg was significantly more effective than placebo. FF 400 mcg once daily in the evening had similar efficacy to FF 200 mcg twice daily and all FF regimens had a safety tolerability profile generally similar to placebo. This indicates that inhaled FF is an effective and well tolerated oncedaily treatment for mild-to-moderate asthma. Trial registration: NCT00398645
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    Environmental and occupational respiratory diseases - 1040. Associations between asthma and bronchial hyper-responsivness with allergy and atopy phenotypes in urban black South African teenagers
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2013) Levin, Michael; Muloiwa, Rudzani; Motala, Cassim
    Epidemiological studies in South Africa show increasing prevalence rates of asthma and allergic sensitisation in both urban and rural Black African communities, and narrowing of the urban-rural gradient. There is a paucity of current data on bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) in urban Black African children, associations between asthma and BHR and the relationship between BHR, allergen sensitisation and other atopic diseases.
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    Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of Residents with Persistent Lower Respiratory Symptoms or Asthma Following a Sulphur Stockpile Fire Incident
    (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2022-03-02) Adams, Shahieda; Rajani, Mayuri; Baatjies, Roslynn; Omar, Faieza; Jeebhay, Mohamed Fareed
    Background: This study evaluated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in residents with persistent lower respiratory symptoms (PLRS) or asthma six years after exposure to sulphur dioxide vapours emanating from an ignited sulphur stockpile. Methods:A cross-sectional study was carried out, using interview data collected at three time points (prior to, one- and six-years post incident), medical history, respiratory symptoms and HRQOL using the Medical Outcomes Study Form 36 (SF-36). Results: A total of 246 records, 74 with and 172 without PLRS or asthma, were analysed. The mean age was 42 (SD:12) years in the symptomatic group and 41 (SD:13) years in the asymptomatic group. Mean SF-36 scores were significantly lower for the symptomatic group in the Physical Functioning (24 vs. 39), Role—Physical (33 vs. 48) and General Health (GH) domains (24 vs. 37). Symptomatic residents experienced a significant decline in their Role—Physical (OR = 1.97; CI 1.09, 3.55) and GH (OR = 3.50; CI 1.39, 8.79) at year 6 compared to asymptomatic participants. Residents with co-morbid reactive upper airways dysfunction syndrome demonstrated stronger associations for GH (OR = 7.04; CI 1.61, 30.7) at year 1 and at year 6 (OR = 8.58; CI 1.10, 65.02). Conclusions:This study highlights the long-term adverse impact on HRQoL among residents with PLRS or asthma following a sulphur stockpile fire disaster.
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    Socio-epidemiological Aspects of Respiratory Allergic Diseases in Southern Africa
    (BioMed Central, 2012-01-13) Taborda-Barata, Luís; Potter, Paul C
    The prevalence of respiratory allergic diseases has been increasing in Southern Africa both in urban and in rural environments. Various factors may contribute toward this situation, namely, exposure to aeroallergens, such as grass pollens and house dust mites. However, other irritant environmental triggers, such as exposure to tobacco smoke and certain indoor and outdoor fumes, may also play a relevant part. Furthermore, certain parasitic and mycobacterial infections may act as allergic disease risk modifiers, although such an influence should be confirmed. Finally, certain cultural and socioeconomic factors may also influence accessibility to healthcare and adherence to treatment of these diseases.
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    Socio-epidemiological aspects of respiratory allergic diseases in Southern Africa
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2012) Taborda-Barata, Luis; Potter, Paul C
    The prevalence of respiratory allergic diseases has been increasing in Southern Africa both in urban and in rural environments. Various factors may contribute toward this situation, namely, exposure to aeroallergens, such as grass pollens and house dust mites. However, other irritant environmental triggers, such as exposure to tobacco smoke and certain indoor and outdoor fumes, may also play a relevant part. Furthermore, certain parasitic and mycobacterial infections may act as allergic disease risk modifiers, although such an influence should be confirmed. Finally, certain cultural and socioeconomic factors may also influence accessibility to healthcare and adherence to treatment of these diseases.
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    The "Ten Commandments" of treating preschool children who wheeze
    (South African Academy of Family Physicians, 2012) Green, R J; Halkas, A; Weinberg, E
    Wheezing in young children is problematic for most practitioners. Difficulties arise in both the diagnosis and management of this clinical phenotype. Not all preschool children who wheeze have asthma. Therefore, we suggest that the “Ten Commandments” of managing preschool wheezing include thinking that in very young infants (< 1 year) wheezing is likely to be viral in origin; realising that allergy testing is mandatory to diagnose the cause of early wheezing; taking a history of asthma and allergy in family members; noting that chronic coughing is a pointer to asthma; using the term “asthma” if that is the diagnosis; ensuring that the environmental avoidance of triggers is addressed; using a short course of montelukast for virus-induced wheezing episodes; avoiding steroids to treat virus-induced wheezing; treating associated nasal symptoms; and making sure that the follow-up of children addresses the issue of stopping therapy if it is not working.