BACKGROUND Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) are well established in the management of outpatient asthma. However, there is very little information as to their role in acute asthma exacerbations. We hypothesized that LTRAs may accelerate lung function recovery when given in an acute exacerbation. METHODS A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at the Aga Khan...

Acute episodes of airway obstruction followed by periods of apparent wellness are the main clinical manifestations of the disease for many children with persistent asthma. Although currently available asthma controllers decrease the risk for acute asthma exacerbations, 30% of children taking these medicines still have >or=1 episode requiring oral corticosteroid treatment per year. There is incr...

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs characterized by episodic and reversible symptoms of acute airflow obstruction (narrowing of the airways that makes it difficult to breath) (National Institutes of Health). People with asthma can suffer from symptoms ranging from wheezing, cough and a sensation of tightness in the chest, to a severe inability to expel air from the lungs, su...

BACKGROUND Acute asthma is often treated with racemic albuterol, a 1:1 mixture of (R)-albuterol and (S)-albuterol. Levalbuterol is the single-isomer agent comprised (R)-albuterol, an active bronchodilator, without any effects of (S)-albuterol. OBJECTIVE To compare emergency department (ED) admission rates of patients presenting with acute asthma who were treated with either racemic albuterol ...

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is the provision of ventilatory support without the need for an invasive airway, and has revolutionized the management of patients with diverse forms of respiratory failure. The advantages of NIV include improved patient comfort and reduced need for sedation, while avoiding the complications of endotracheal intubation, including upper airway trauma, sinusitis, otit...

Reactive airway disease has a multifactorial aetiology, where genetic liabilities and environmental exposures interact in complex ways to cause reversible inflammation obstruction acute exacerbation can be life threatening. The present study was assess the reasons of among children with reactive which include infection, cold climate, lunar variations, discontinuation metered dose inhaler allerg...

What we know: No one gene is a major cause of asthma. Some racial groups are more at risk of asthma than others. Early exposure to domestic animals appears to reduce the chance of developing asthma. Good hygiene may increase the likelihood of asthma. Impaired early airway function predisposes to asthma. What we need to know: How do several minor genetic factors combine to increase the risk of a...