New asthma therapy for pregnant women also protects the children

Testing and subsequent treatment protect newborns from asthma
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the human respiratory tract spread around the world. Australian scientists now unveiled a radical approach to treating children of expectant mothers with asthma. Conducting a specific test on such mothers may therefore lead to effective treatment of the condition.

The researchers from the University of Newcastle found in their study that a test in pregnant women can lead to their offspring is reliably protected from asthma disease. The doctors published a press release on the results of their study.

Asthma is widespread throughout the world. Researchers now found a way to allow more effective treatment for asthma through a simple breath test. (Image: vchalup / fotolia.com)

Participants adjust asthma medications to their nitric oxide levels
Half of the participating women in the current study, after taking a test, adjusted their asthma medications to their levels of nitric oxide, experts said. These levels were previously determined by a simple routine breath test. The other half of the participants were treated according to their own self-assessment of asthma symptoms.

Dosage of asthma drug was customized
Nitric oxide is a so-called indicator of pneumonia and the severity of asthma, explain the researchers. With this important biomarker, the dosage of inhaled corticosteroids (a common asthma drug) was then adjusted for each expectant mother.

Babies were medically monitored for six years
The babies of the participating mothers were medically monitored for the first six years of their lives. The results are very promising, say the authors.

Treatment significantly reduces asthma in newborns
Among women's babies, whose medications were determined by self-reported symptoms, 40 percent developed asthma, the researchers explain. This value was reduced to 20 percent by participating in the test and a subsequent nitric oxide status adjustment. In this group, there were fewer cases of frequent wheezing and recurrent pulmonary infections, the researchers add.

Asthma diseases persist for life
Asthma is a chronic disease and has lifelong effects, explain the authors. While some people are able to control their asthma, the disease persists forever. For example, the disease affects the ability to exercise and reduces exercise capacity. This effect can in turn lead to social problems in children and parents, the physicians add.

Breakthrough breakthrough in the treatment of asthma?
The finding could have a massive impact on the way asthma is treated in the future. The groundbreaking research offers hope for effective complementary treatment for millions of asthmatics around the world, say the authors. (As)