attack begins. They have been here before: tightening of the chest, wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing. Experience tells them it will pass but that does not make it any easier. Millions of Europeans, especially an increasing number of children, live with asthma and the threat of an asthma attack but it does not have to be this way1. Asthma can be controlled for long periods by combining m...

The main aim of this research paper is to explore the use of a device which can perform the dual function of detecting an asthma attack without the intervention of any specialist for potential victim and also notify the emergency services. Attack can be tackled if it is detected in short time and appropriate measures are taken instantly. The research paper illustrates how a device called 'Kinec...

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of adequate outpatient care as defined by guidelines of the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) on the long-term outcome of near-fatal asthma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Fifty-three patients who had experienced a near-fatal attack of asthma were treated according to the GINA guidelines and followed for a mean of 49 months (intervention group). Clinical and spirometric...

BACKGROUND Recent investigations suggested that the trend of childhood asthma has been stabilizing or even reversing in some countries. The observation provides contrast to our experience. Thus, the study aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical features of asthma in children aged 0-14 years in Qingdao China, determine the changes of childhood asthma in China, and discover evidence that...

BACKGROUND Acute asthma during pregnancy is potentially dangerous to the fetus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an acute attack of asthma during pregnancy on the course of pregnancy or delivery, or the health of the newborn infant, and to identify undertreatment as a possible cause of the exacerbations. METHODS Five hundred and four pregnant asthmatic subjects were pros...

We report the case of a severe bronchial asthma attack 15 minutes after the ingestion of food containing small amounts of alcohol. Although an ethanol inhalation test was negative, an acetaldehyde inhalation test was positive. Furthermore, it was discovered that the patient was homozygous for a mutation of the aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH-2) gene. We subsequently diagnosed his attack as acute...

BACKGROUND The European Community respiratory health survey is examining the prevalence of asthma and risk factors for asthma. AIM As part of this multinational survey, a study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of asthma and asthma-like symptoms in young adults living in Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich using a postal questionnaire. METHOD A previously validated symptom questionnaire...

INTRODUCTION Acute asthmatic attack in children commonly occurs despite the introduction of effective controllers such as inhaled corticosteroids and leukotriene modifiers. Treatment of acute asthmatic attack requires proper evaluation of attack severity and appropriate selection of medical therapy. In children, measurement of lung function is difficult during acute attack and thus clinical ast...

BACKGROUND There are not enough data on the epidemiology of asthma in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). We analyzed data from a national household survey conducted in KSA in 2013 to estimate prevalence, associated risk factors and control measurements of asthma. METHODS The Saudi Health Interview Survey was a cross-sectional national multistage survey of 10,735 individuals aged 15 years or o...