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Dec. 3, 2008 |
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Welcome to ACAAI eNews
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JANUARY 2009
Michigan Asthma and Allergy Society
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Jan. 7, Novi, Mich.
Contact: Gina Gibson
Tel: 517-336-5709
Email
NYAAS: Severe Combined Immunodeficiency — A Molecular Paradigm
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Jan. 14, New York, N.Y.
Contact: Dr. Robert M. Klein
Tel: 973-773-7400
Email
SWAF, EAC, TAAIS Combined Meeting on Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Jan. 14, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Contact: Ginny Loiselle
Tel: 713-723-3796
Email
Western Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Jan. 25, Wailea, Maui, Hawaii
Contact: Karol Anderson
Tel: 503-533-7156
Email
MARCH
2009 AAAAI Annual Meeting
March 13-17, Washington, D.C.
Tel: 888-869-0189 (US/Canada)
Tel: 415-979-2277 (International/Local)
Email
Link
First Middle East-Asia Allergy Asthma Immunology Congress
ACAAI Collaborating Partner
March 26-29, Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971(0)4 2689040
Email
Link
ONGOING
World Allergy Organization Society Meetings
ACAAI CME JOINT SPONSORSHIP ACCREDITATION
Contact: Mary Campbell
Tel: 847-427-1200
Email
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Sponsored
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Top
Stories |
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Inhaled corticosteroids increase pneumonia risk for patients with COPD
Inhaled corticosteroids may increase pneumonia risk by a third in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a study in Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, reviewed and analyzed adverse events recorded in 11 clinical studies involving more than 14,000 people with COPD in over 40 countries. They found elevated risk for pneumonia mostly occurred in people: Taking higher doses of corticosteroids, such as 500 micrograms of fluticasone twice daily for two years or less; whose lung function was 40 percent or lower than expected; and who also combined inhaled corticosteroids with bronchodilators. 
Study links fall birth to asthma development
Children who are born four months before the height of cold and flu season have a greater risk of developing childhood asthma than children born at any other time of year, according to a study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Researchers at the center for Asthma Research at Vanderbilt University analyzed birth and medical records of more than 95,000 children and their mothers in Tennessee, looking at date of birth in relationship to developing early childhood asthma. They discovered that significant bronchiolitis at any age during infancy was associated with a higher risk for childhood asthma. But for babies born in the fall, the risk was greatest.
Study: Asthma drugs during pregnancy generally safe
Most asthma drugs used during pregnancy have little to no adverse effect on the developing fetus, according to a study in Thorax. A possible exception is cromone agents, which may increase musculoskeletal defect risk. Scientists at City Hospital in Nottingham, UK, assessed in utero asthma medication exposure in more than 35,000 children — 5,124 with congenital malformations and 30,053 controls. Drug use during pregnancy data was available via the Health Improvement Network primary care database. Children born to mothers with asthma were 10 percent more likely to have a malformation than those born to non-asthmatic mothers. But further analysis indicated the increased risk of malformation was not due to asthma drug use. In utero exposure to short- or long-acting beta agonists, inhaled corticosteroids, oral corticosteroids, other bronchodilators, or cromones had no impact on the overall risk of malformations. However, cromone exposure appeared to raise the odds of musculoskeletal system malformations by 9.38-fold.
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A message from ACAAI President Richard G. Gower, M.D., FACAAI
 ACAAI/AAAAI endorse LABA position; Will testify before FDA Advisory Panel
ACAAI and AAAAI have endorsed a joint statement titled “An Update on the Safety of Long-Acting Beta Agonists in Asthma in Combination with Inhaled Corticosteroids” for presentation by Stanley Szefler, M.D., FACAAI, at a Dec. 10-11 joint meeting of the FDA Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee, Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee, and Pediatric Advisory Committee.
The statement, developed by Harold Nelson, M.D., FACAAI, and the Joint ACAAI/AAAAI Advisory Committee on LABA, will be published in an upcoming issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Allergy.
The article supports our position on the drug’s safety when used as recommended.
As you may know, a number of concerns have been voiced regarding the safety of LABAs for the treatment of asthma, including:
- Does use of this class of drug increase the risk for hospitalization, near-death or death due to asthma?
- Is the increased risk greater in African-Americans?
- Do individuals who are homozygous for arginine at the 16th codon of the ADRB2 have a poorer response, or even deteriorate when placed on LABAs?
The authors of the joint statement point out that “subsequent studies have addressed each of these concerns. It is hoped that the consistently reassuring data, which have been generated over the last three years, will reduce the concerns among physicians, patients, and regulatory authorities regarding the safety of combination LABA and ICS use in asthma and allow the proper use of this valuable combination treatment for appropriate patients.”
The College recommends that physicians and others who care for patients taking fluticasone-salmeterol, budesonide-formoterol, or other OICS-LABA combinations review the literature and current prescribing information, and discuss these issues with their patients. The College further suggests that patients not change their treatment protocols without first checking with their physicians or other health care providers.
Visit the FDA Web site for more information about the hearing.
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Association
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Join the College’s campaign to help people
Find an Allergist, Find Relief
All ACAAI member-allergists have an opportunity to be part of the largest, most expansive public education and advocacy campaign about the benefits of seeing an allergist.
Allergy and asthma sufferers need you, but may not know about you. That’s the reason for the coordinated national and local strategies to spread the word about allergists. You can be part of this mobilization by joining the Allergy and Asthma Relief Team.
All Relief Team members receive a “toolkit” for spreading the word in their communities and for marketing their own practices. The toolkit includes:
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patient education brochures
- advertising templates
- a window cling featuring the new allergist logo
- community and media tips
Join the estimated 500 ACAAI members who have already joined the Relief Team. Visit www.AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org/order to register and receive your free toolkit.
“Hot Topics in Allergy” airs daily on ReachMD XM Satellite Radio
The “Hot Topics in Allergy” series – airing exclusively on the ReachMD XM Satellite Radio (Channel 160) – is created in partnership with the College. ReachMD is available via live streaming, OnDemand listening, and downloadable podcasts.
New programs, with hosts Todd A. Mahr, M.D., FACAAI, and Ketan K. Sheth, M.D., MACAAI, include the following topics:
- Are the Common Food Allergens Changing? (11-24-08) – Sami L. Bahna, M.D., Dr.P.H., FACAAI
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Larynogopharyngeal Reflux (12-1-08) – Clifford W. Bassett, M.D., FACAAI
- What’s the Best Way to Follow Asthma Control? (12-8-08) – John J. Oppenheimer, M.D., FACAAI
- Eosinophil Gastrointestinal Disease (12-15-08) – Jonathan M. Spergel, M.D., Ph.D., FACAAI
Truly one-of-a-kind, ReachMD offers breaking medical news, roundtable discussions, medical education and other unique programming 24 hours a day to more than 250,000 weekly listeners. This innovative radio channel debuted in the spring of 2007 on the XM satellite network with the College among its first partners.
Betty Wray elected ACAAI Foundation president
The ACAAI Foundation elected the following new officers at its Board of Trustees meeting in Seattle: President Betty B. Wray, M.D., FACAAI; Vice President Nathan Segall, M.D., FACAAI; Secretary Lawrence S. Mihalas, M.D., FACAAI; Treasurer Stanley M. Fineman, M.D., FACAAI.
Trustees-at-Large are Sami L. Bahna, M.D., Dr.P.H., FACAAI; Emil J. Bardana, Jr., M.D., FACAAI; Richard G. Gower, M.D., FACAAI; Jay M. Portnoy, M.D., FACAAI; and Dana Wallace, M.D., FACAAI. Representing the Alliance is Mrs. Marcee Claflin.
For information about the Foundation’s 5K Club, Tithe-a-Talk program and bequests, and other planned giving options, visit the Foundation Web page.
House of Delegates elects officers at Seattle meeting
The House of Delegates (HOD) officers were elected for new terms at the ACAAI House of Delegates meeting in Seattle. Officers are: Speaker Kevin McGrath, M.D., FACAAI, who also serves on the ACAAI Board of Regents; Vice Speaker Christopher Randolph, M.D., FACAAI; and Recording Secretary Chitra Dinakar, M.D., FACAAI.
Minutes from the Nov. 7, 2008, meeting are available on the HOD Web page, where you can also view and participate in the HOD Forum.
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AMA Corner |
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Welcome to the AMA Corner prepared by Alnoor A. Malick, M.D., FACAAI, ACAAI Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates, to keep you abreast of important AMA news and developments affecting allergy-immunology.
AMA applauds Chairman Baucus' commitment to health system reform
The AMA applauds U.S. Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., for his important contribution to the ongoing effort to reform the nation's health care system. At a news conference on Capitol Hill Nov. 12, Baucus unveiled an 89-page health care reform blueprint that outlines a path to a high-performing health care system. His plan aims to achieve affordable health insurance coverage for all Americans, control health care costs, improve the quality of care our system provides, and make the market work better for consumers.
Out-of-network physicians should be wary of expedited fee negotiation agreements
The Connecticut State Medical Society recently alerted the AMA that the preferred provider organization network Multiplan is soliciting out-of-network physicians to enter into an “Expedited Fee Negotiation Agreement.”
The agreement purports to offer physicians an “expedited price” as payment in full and requests an acceptance signature from an authorized representative of the physician practice. The AMA strongly encourages physicians to carefully review and discuss with their legal counsel agreements that purport to affect physician payment entitlements. The Multiplan agreement does not constitute a guarantee of payment from the payer, nor does it provide information about when or how the physician practice will actually receive payment. Moreover, the effect the agreement may have on the practice’s future claims for the same service is left unclear.
Physicians have the right to choose the basic mechanism of payment for their services and to accept or decline a third-party allowance as payment in full for a service. Visit http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/18571.html to access the “Out-of-network services toolkit,” which includes the flier “Out-of-network payment challenges for the physician practice.”
PQRI changes take effect Jan. 1. Be ready.
Changes in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) program will become effective Jan. 1. Get informed by attending a timely Webinar from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17, Eastern time, hosted by the AMA —convener of the Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement®, the measure developer of 112 of the 153 measures in PQRI 2009. Don’t miss this important opportunity to learn about the measures included in the 2009 PQRI program and how your practice can prepare to report through claims for the 2009 reporting year. Registration fee is $160 for AMA members, and $185 for non-members.
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Fellows-in-Training |
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Board Review Corner
Welcome to the Board Review Corner prepared by Jennifer W. Mbuthia, M.D., and Christopher R. Martin, M.D., Senior and Junior Representatives of ACAAI’s fellows-in-training (FITs) to the Board of Regents. The Board Review Corner is an opportunity to help hone your Board preparedness.
To refer to a previous Board Review Corner, click the “FIT Archive” link in the left column.
Review Questions: Chapter 41 of Pediatric Allergy: Principles & Practices, edited by Donald Y.M. Leung, et al. Review questions were written by Jennifer W. Mbuthia,
M.D.,
and Christopher R. Martin, M.D., Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
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