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Global change, climate change, and asthma in children: Direct and indirect effects - A WAO Pediatric Asthma Committee Report

The twenty-first century has seen a fundamental shift in disease epidemiology with anthropogenic environmental change emerging as the likely dominant factor affecting the distribution and severity of current and future human disease. This is especially true of allergic diseases and asthma with their intimate relationship with the natural environment.

Environmental impact of inhaled medicines: A Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand position statement

Globally, more than 1.2 billion inhalers are purchased for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) annually. In Australia and New Zealand, pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) are the leading delivery device prescribed and pMDI salbutamol can be purchased over the counter in Australia. These inhalers are a major contributor to healthcare related greenhouse gases. 

Does lung function in preschoolers help to predict asthma in later life?

The earliest respiratory function assessments, within or close to the neonatal period, consistently show correlations with lung function and with the development of asthma into adulthood. Measurements of lung function in infancy reflect the in utero period of lung development, and if early enough, show little influence of postnatal environmental exposures. 

Genome-wide association and large-scale follow up identifies 16 new loci influencing lung function

Pulmonary function measures reflect respiratory health and are used in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Role of innate immunity in the development of allergy and asthma

The purpose of this review is to examine the role of innate immunity in the lungs in the development of allergy and asthma.

Global strategy for the diagnosis and management of asthma in children 5 years and younger

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood and the leading cause of childhood morbidity from chronic disease as measured by school absences...

Neonatal immune function and inflammatory illnesses in later life: lessons to be learnt from the developing world?

With the emergence of allergic and autoimmune diseases in populations that have started to transit to a western lifestyle, there has been an increasing...

The hygiene hypothesis revisited: role of materno-fetal interactions

For 20 years, the hygiene hypothesis has dominated attempts to explain the increasing prevalence of allergic disease. A causal link between maternal innate immu

The role of GSTP1 polymorphisms and tobacco smoke exposure in children with acute asthma

The glutathione S-transferase enzymes (GSTs) play an important role in the detoxification of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), which contributes to airway infl

House dust mite allergens in asthma and allergy

IgE antibodies in house dust mite (HDM) allergy follow a predictable pattern. Half are directed against two dominant allergens and the remainder largely against