Predictors of treatment with antibiotics and systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care

Research article

Salwan Al-ani^1*, Mark Spigt¹², Johanna Laue¹ and Hasse Melbye¹

BMC Family Practice 2015, 16:40  doi:10.1186/s12875-015-0256-3

Abstract

Background

Antibiotic and oral corticosteroid prescribing rate in patients suffering from acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma in general practice are only sparsely described. Our aim was to identify predictors for such prescribing when results from CRP testing, spirometry, and pulse oximetry are available.

Lies, damned lies, and marketing: an editor’s lament

Vol 7, No 4 (April 2015) / Lies, damned lies, and marketing: an editor’s lament

Article Abstract

Authors: Lawrence Grouse

Abstract

Many of the articles published in the ICC COLUMN have emphasized the plight that respiratory patients around the world have in obtaining satisfactory access to appropriate medications and health care. Two main problems have been identified. The first involves the high costs that prevent many patients from obtaining care (1). The second involves the difficulty to determine whether or not new medications, diagnostic procedures, and treatments actually do benefit patient outcomes. This paper provides an editor’s perspective on how the marketing activities of proprietary organizations make it difficult to assess published clinical research that is intended to determine the value of treatments.

Whistles and wheezes: don't miss diseases

Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed 2015;100:132-143 doi:10.1136/archdischild-2013-304604

• Problem solving in clinical practice

1. J Cyriac, 
2. K Huxstep

+Author Affiliations

1. Department of Paediatrics, Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, UK

Abstract

Upper airway obstruction (UAO) in infants and children has a broad spectrum of presentations including benign self-resolving conditions, from mild croup, to critical life-threatening conditions which, though uncommon now, require prompt recognition and effective multidisciplinary collaborative management to achieve a good outcome. The aim of this article is to highlight the diagnostic and management difficulties in acute UAO in paediatric patients and encourage a problem-solving approach.

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Prolonged efficacy of the 300IR 5-grass pollen tablet up to 2 years after treatment cessation, as measured by a recommended daily combined score

Research

Alain Didier^1*, Hans-Jørgen Malling², Margitta Worm³, Friedrich Horak⁴ and Gordon L Sussman⁵

Clinical and Translational Allergy 2015, 5:12  doi:10.1186/s13601-015-0057-8

Abstract

Background

The 300IR (index of reactivity) 5-grass pollen tablet has favorable short-term and sustained clinical efficacy in patients with grass pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC). Here, we report maintenance of efficacy and safety over 2 years following treatment discontinuation.

European medicines agency guideline for biological medicinal products: a further step for a safe use of biosimilars

Editorial

Carlo Agostini^1*, Giorgio Walter Canonica² and Enrico Maggi³

Clinical and Molecular Allergy 2015, 13:3  doi:10.1186/s12948-015-0010-3

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at:http://www.clinicalmolecularallergy.com/content/13/1/3

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.

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Immunoregulatory T cell epitope peptides: the new frontier in allergy therapy

• Volume 45, Issue 6
  June 2015 
  Pages 1015–1026Creative Commons
• 
  

State of the Art Reviews on Mechanisms of Allergic Disease

Authors

• 
  

• 
  

DOI: 10.1111/cea.12554View/save citation
Summary
Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) has been practised since 1911 and remains the only therapy proven to modify the natural history of allergic diseases. Although efficacious in carefully selected individuals, the currently licensed whole allergen extracts retain the risk of IgE-mediated adverse events, including anaphylaxis and occasionally death. This together with the need for prolonged treatment regimens results in poor patient adherence. 

GINA Report, Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention

Updated April 2015

Please reference this document as follows: From the Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention, Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) 2015. Available from: http://www.ginasthma.org/.

For information about purchasing paper copies of GINA documents, or about using, adapting, or reproducing GINA materials, please contact us.

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Better management of cow's milk allergy using a very low dose food challenge test: A retrospective study

Yu Okada

,

 Noriyuki Yanagida

,

 Sakura Sato

,

 Motohiro Ebisawa

Publication stage: In Press Corrected Proof

Open Access

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.alit.2015.04.002

Open access funded by Japanese Society of Allergology

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Abstract

Background

Low dose reactive cow's milk (CM) allergic children are at high risk of persistent CM allergy and a positive oral food challenge (OFC). The present study aimed to evaluate if the results of a very low dose (VL) OFC with these children contributes to better management of CM allergy.