The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice
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J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract · Jul 2015
Editorial CommentCOPD: The Not So Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!
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J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract · Jul 2015
ReviewPulmonary Rehabilitation for Patients with Chronic Airways Obstruction.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a patient-centered and interdisciplinary intervention with major components of exercise training and self-management education. Although having no direct effect on lung function, this intervention often results in substantial improvements in respiratory symptoms, functional status, and health status. ⋯ Pulmonary rehabilitation is indicated for patients with respiratory diseases (regardless of specific diagnosis) who have persistent symptoms or functional or health status limitation despite otherwise optimal medical therapy. Those patients with severe asthma (particularly those with airways remodeling) or asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap who have daily symptoms and substantial functional/health status limitation despite controller and bronchodilator therapy would be appropriate candidates for pulmonary rehabilitation.
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J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract · Jul 2015
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk, Asthma Burden, and Lower Airway Inflammation in Adults in the Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP) II.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may worsen asthma, but large studies are lacking and the underlying mechanisms are unknown. ⋯ OSA symptoms are more prevalent among asthmatics, in whom they are associated with higher disease burden. OSA risk is associated with a neutrophilic airway inflammation in asthma, which suggests that OSA may be an important contributor to the neutrophilic asthma. Further studies are necessary to confirm these findings and better understand the mechanistic underpinnings of this relationship.
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J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract · Jul 2015
Prospective Study on the Relationship of Obesity to Asthma Impairment and Risk.
Although studies consistently show an association between obesity and increased asthma incidence, the role of obesity in asthma control is less clear. ⋯ Elevated BMI, particularly obesity, is associated with subsequent poor asthma control, especially in the risk domain (exacerbations). These findings further support the importance of facilitating weight loss in overweight and obese adults with asthma.