Asthma environmental factors

Asthma results from a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors however, the underlying cause is not well understood. There appears to be an inheritable component, as the presence of asthma in a parent is a strong risk factor for the development of asthma in a child. This risk increases when a family history of atopy is also present.13 Approximately 50% of asthma can be attributed to atopy, and atopic asthma is more common in children than adults.3 Furthermore, atopy in childhood asthma is the strongest prognostic factor for continued asthma as an adult.1,3... 

Provide education on self-management or parent education on asthma management and controlling environmental factors that make asthma worse (e.g., allergens and irritants). 

Asthma, a disease featuring sudden and dramatic variations in respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function, is well known to be related to environmental factors in many cases. Many other factors, however, may play a significant role in the precipitation of asthma attacks, including meteorologic factors, emotional factors, infection, allergy, and physical activity. It has also been demonstrated that there is a significant ethnic variation in factors associated with acute asthma attacks. Nevertheless, between 2 and 5% of the population is subject to asthma attacks, so it has been examined as an indicator of health effects of photochemical-oxidant pollution. 

Von Mutius E. 2002. Environmental factors influencing the development of progression of pediatric asthma. J All Clin Immunol. 109 525-532. 

Air pollution is one of the worst problems caused by industries, agriculture, power stations, aerosols and other chemicals, and coal and other fires. As a result we suffer from headaches, respiratory tract infections and ailments, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, eye problems, and eventually a profound breakdown in health manifested by various cancers. Other environmental hazards include lead from gasoline — which causes hyperactivity and birth defects — acid rain, carbon monoxide poisoning, water pollution, and radiation. Clinical ecologists treat illnesses and disorders that they believe stem from an individual s reaction to these environmental factors. They practice what is known as environmental medicine, and they estimate that between 10 and 30% of the population suffers from some form of ecological disease (Thomas, 1997 and General References). 

J. and Debuse, P. (1996) Genetic and environmental factors associated with asthma. Human Biology, 68, 405-14. 

The rate of mucociliary clearance can be affected by the pathophysiological condition of the nasal cavity and this will also affect the rate of clearance of administered drag. Such conditions include rhinitis, the common cold, hayfever, sinusitis, asthma, nasal polyposis, Sjogren s and Kartagener s syndromes. In addition, environmental factors such as humidity, temperature and pollution can also affect the rate of nasal clearance. 

Data on asthma are a good example of the complexities of interacting genes, diseases, and drugs. First, there is no universally accepted definition of asthma. Twin studies suggest that asthma is to 0.72%-0.8% a genetic disease,but inheritance does not follow a clear Mendelian pattern, and environmental factors modulate the clinical expression. " Thus, asthma is multifactorial. Disease expression is influenced by interactions between multiple major and minor genes, and modulated by environmental factors. " ... 

Several studies have focused on environmental issues, including the concept of environmental justice, environmental and occupational education and training in medicine and nursing, and the role of environmental factors in illness (e.g., asthma). 

Asthma is a complex disorder in children with a highly variable response to pharmacological therapy. Genetic and environmental factors are the important determinants of the risk of development of asthma. It is estimated that 70-80 % of variability in individual responses to therapy may have a genetic basis and several candidate genes of asthma and atopy have been reported [109-114], However, genetic interactions, host factors, and environmental factors can also have an influence on drug response [115]. 

The degree of inflammation in asthma may vary among individuals because of interaction of genetic and environmental factors [6]. Accordingly, asthma severity is classified as mild, moderate, or severe based on symptoms, lung function, frequency of exacerbation, and physical activity (Table 1). 

As countries develop and change their lifestyles, environmental factors, which protect against asthma and allergic diseases, are being lost. At the same time, environmental factors, which may initiate and aggravate asthma and allergic disease, are being added. 

Celenza A, Fothergill J, Kupek E, Shaw RJ Thunderstorm associated asthma A detailed analysis of environmental factors, BMJ 1996 312 604-607. 

There is general agreement that there are four key components to asthma care assessment and monitoring pharmacotherapy control of environmental factors which exacerbate asthma, and patient education [2(NC)]. 

Cullinan, 1988 Gergen et al., 1988 Burney et al., 1990 Hahhtela et al., 1990 Weitzman et al., 1992 Aberg et al., 1995). This increased prevalence has been too rapid to be a function of changes in the gene pool and there has consequently been a growing interest in the possibility that environmental factors and, in particular, environmental pollution, play an important role in the development and/or severity of asthma (Wardlaw, 1993 Barnes, 1994 Newman Taylor, 1995). 

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