Allergy immunotherapy, generally referred to as allergy vaccinations or shots, reduce total health care costs in children with allergic rhinitis by one-third, and prescription costs by 16 percent, according to a study published this month in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). Allergic rhinitis is the third most common chronic disease in children, affecting up to 40 percent of the population.

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Asthmatx Inc. has announced that the Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted to recommend that the Alair® System, a device utilized in bronchial thermoplasty for the treatment of severe persistent asthma in patients 18 years and older, be found approvable with conditions. The final decision regarding the approval of the device is made by the FDA.

LG launched a new range of air purifiers, combining effectiveness, convenience, portability and quiet operation. Combining five different air cleaning technologies and a 16 stage multi-layer filtering system, the new air purifier eliminates fine dust, bacteria, asbestos, amonia, formaldehyde, animal hair, allergy causing germs, mold, smoke, strong odors, and Nitrogen Dioxide. LG air purifier helps eliminating toxic gases emitted from cement, timber, insulating material, paint, home decoration as wall paper, rugs, curtains etc.

A recent study conducted by Genentech Inc suggested a disproportionate increase in heart attacks and strokes in patients treated with Xolair (omalizumab), compared to those who were not given the drug. The FDA had approved the drug in June, 2003 to treat patients aged 12 years or more with moderate-to-severe persistent allergic asthma unresponsive to inhaled steroids and is now conducting a safety review.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin Hospital, Madison has concluded that wheezing illness in childhood caused by rhinovirus is associated with the development of asthma. The doctors reported that almost 90% of kids who suffered from wheezing related to rhinovirus at 3 years of age developed asthma by the age of 6 years. Also, episodes of rhinovirus wheezing may help in revealing children who are predisposed to the disease.

Researchers at Macchi Hospital in Varese, Italy have proposed that sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) can prove beneficial in preventing mild persistent asthma and new skin sensitizations in children suffering from allergic rhinitis. The doctors also report that the therapy has the potential to reduce bronchial hyperactivity. Based on the 3-year long study, SLIT was found to be safe for children, when used in the recommended doses.

According to an article published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, lower rates of asthma are found in children who live on tree-lined streets. The pattern held constant, even changes were made in sources of pollution, levels of affluence, and population density, all of which would be considered likely to influence the results. The authors note that asthma rates in children can thus be curbed by encouraging them to play outdoors more, or by improving the quality of the air.

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