| |
|
Nov. 19, 2008 |
| |
|
Welcome to ACAAI eNews
— a bi-weekly aggregated news service from the American
College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. To be removed
from this distribution list, please see instructions
at bottom. |
| |
 |
Top Stories |
| |
|
|
|
Drugs and Devices |
| |
|
|
|
Association News |
| |
|
|
|
Fellows-in-Training |
| |
|
|
|
Periodicals |
| |
|
|
|
Calendar |
| |
|
|
|
Archive |
| |
|
|
|
FIT Archive |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Distance Learning |
Conferences On Line Allergy Initiative (COLA)
2008 ACAAI/AAAAI Certification/Maintenance of Certification Board Review Course
2007 ACAAI Annual Meeting Podcasts and Vodcasts
2007 ACAAI Annual Meeting CME Symposium
Link |
|
Periodicals |
•
Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Current issue
• AllergyWatch
Current issue
|
|
Calendar |
|
DECEMBER
OSAAI Update on Asthma
ACAAI Jointly Sponsored
Dec. 3, Portland, Ore.
Contact: Gina J. Williams
Tel: 360-708-9555
Email
ACAAI-IAACI Conference in Israel
Allergists For Israel
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Dec. 3-6, Jerusalem, Israel
Contact: Beth Goldfarb
Tel: 513-891-0880
Email
JANUARY 2009
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
ONGOING
World Allergy Organization Society Meetings
ACAAI CME JOINT SPONSORSHIP ACCREDITATION
Contact: Mary Campbell
Tel: 847-427-1200
Email
|
Sponsored
By |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top
Stories |
|
|
Study: Immunizations OK for kids at risk for allergies
Among children at heightened risk for atopy, common childhood vaccinations during the first year of life don’t increase more severe eczema and allergy risk, according to a study in Allergy. Researchers from Universitatsmedizin, Berlin, Germany, looked at the effect of vaccinations during the first year among 2,184 infants from 1 to 2 years old with active atopic dermatitis and a family history of allergy from 97 study centers in 10 European countries, as well as South Africa and Australia. Sixty-five percent of the children showed signs of having allergies. According to the study, there was no association between immunization with any of the routine childhood vaccines and an increased risk of allergic sensitization to food or inhalant allergens. However, varicella vaccine seemed to provide some protection against allergy and eczema severity, while pertussis seemed to help guard against eczema severity. 
Gradually increasing exposure may ease milk allergy
Powdered milk could be a treatment for milk allergy, according to a carefully controlled small study at Johns Hopkins Children's Center and Duke University and reported in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology. Researchers found that, over time, giving children with milk allergy increasingly higher doses of powdered milk lessened their allergic reactions to milk — and helped some subjects overcome their milk allergy completely. The study enrolled 19 children, from 6 to 17 years old, with severe and persistent milk allergy. Over 4 months, 12 children received increasing doses of powdered milk by mouth, while seven received a placebo powder identical in appearance and taste. At the end of the period, both groups received milk powder as a challenge to see what dose would cause an allergic reaction after the treatment. The children receiving real powdered milk were able to tolerate an average of about 5 ounces of milk without a reaction or only mild symptoms. The children receiving placebo were unable to tolerate more than about one quarter of a teaspoon of milk without having an allergic reaction.
Allergic disease may protect against certain cancer types
Allergies could be part of the body’s defense against toxins that can cause cancer, according to a study in The Quarterly Review of Biology. Scientists from Cornell University examined 50 years worth of publications, looking at 646 studies for correlations between allergy symptoms and cancer. Hives, hay fever, allergies to food and meat, and eczema were strongly associated with lower cancer rates from environmental exposure of body tissues, including skin, bladder, colon, mouth, throat, cervix, uterus, lung and gastrointestinal tract cancers. However, in the majority of studies the Cornell team examined, they found that asthma correlates to higher rates of lung cancer.
|
| |
A message from ACAAI President Dr. Richard G. Gower
 The 2008 ACAAI Annual Meeting in Seattle was titled “Embracing the Challenges of Change” to focus allergists’ attention on the rapidly changing influences affecting our practices and the importance of embracing the good changes to enhance the quality and efficiency we provide patients. The meeting was a great success, and I hope you were among the 3,738 attendees.
State-of-the art scientific programs were well-attended. And attendees enjoyed meetings addressing legal, political, and socioeconomic issues impacting our delivery of care. I introduced the new ACAAI Public Awareness and Education campaign, Find an Allergist, Find Relief, which is designed to address these issues and increase the public’s knowledge of the value of the services of trained allergists. The College encourages all members to participate in this crucial endeavor.
The social highlight of the meeting was the Annual Fundraiser Dinner with entertainment by Cirque Ingenieux providing an amazing performance by talented acrobats and gymnasts — enhanced by audience participation. Another important event was the ACAAI Alliance’s annual silent auction, with proceeds that will fund College Foundation activities.
In addition to the many scientific meetings, the JCAAI Board of Directors met and is coordinating lobbying activities in Washington, D.C., in March 2009 on behalf of allergists. The officers of ACAAI and AAAAI met and discussed timely issues relevant to the many forces of change affecting allergists.
I hope this meeting provided relevant and practical information about changes in medical science, the delivery of health care, and suggestions to adapt and embrace these changes.
|
| |
|
Association
News |
| |
Richard Gower installed as ACAAI President
Richard G. Gower, M.D., Spokane, Wash., was installed Nov. 11 as president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at the ACAAI Annual Meeting in Seattle.
Other elected officers were: Sami L. Bahna, M.D., Dr.PH., Shreveport, La., president-elect; Dana V. Wallace, M.D., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., vice president; and Stanley M. Fineman, M.D., M.B.A., Marietta, Ga., treasurer. Elected as Regents for three-year terms were: David I. Bernstein, M.D., Cincinnati, Ohio; Timothy J. Craig, M.D., Hershey, Pa.; and Russell A. Settipane, M.D., Providence, R.I.
Dr. Gower is clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle, and a private practitioner at Marycliff Allergy Specialists in Spokane, Wash.
He served as ACAAI president-elect, 2007-08; vice president, 2006-2007; and treasurer of both the ACAAI and its Foundation, 2003-2006. He is serving his third term on the Board of Regents, formerly as Speaker of the House of Delegates, 1997-99, and Regent, 1999-2002. Dr. Gower chairs the Executive Committee, chairs the Public Education, Awareness and Allergist Advocacy Campaign, and is vice chair of the International Committee. He serves on the Investment Oversight Committee, the Immunotherapy & Diagnostics Committee, the Finance Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Publications Committee and the Annual Program Committee. He is former chair of the Finance Committee, the Annual Program Committee, the Acorn Committee, the Communications Council, Professional Allergy/Immunology Education Committee and the Managed Care Committee and the Public Relations Network. He was selected as the honorary speaker for the 2006 Bela Schick Lecture.
Dr. Gower served on the Board of Directors of the Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 2002-06. He is a past president of several organizations including the Intermountain West Allergy Association, 2000-01; Western Society of Allergy and Immunology, 1997-98; Inland Empire Allergy Society, 1993-99; and Washington State Society of Internal Medicine, 1986-87. He was chairman of the Health Systems Reform Committee of the American Society of Internal Medicine (ASIM), 1993-95.
Dr. Jay Portnoy (right) passes the gavel to
incoming ACAAI President Dr. Richard Gower.
New edition of ‘Blue Book’ published
 The ACAAI handbook that shows how allergists achieve the best asthma treatment outcomes at lower cost has been updated and published online.
Asthma Management and the Allergist: Better Outcomes at Lower Cost – commonly referred to as the “Blue Book” — is a valuable resource when relating to managers and purchasers of health care programs. It documents the benefits of allergist care for asthma, including:
-
Fewer hospitalizations and shorter hospital stays
- Fewer emergency care visits
- Fewer sick care office visits
- Fewer days missed from work or school
- Increased patient satisfaction and improved quality of life
Early next year the handbook will be printed, promoted and distributed to about 3,400 medical directors at managed care and preferred provider organizations and to the trade media that are read by health insurance industry executives and employee benefits managers.
A copy of the Blue Book also will be sent to all College members for use in their community. A PowerPoint presentation based on the Blue Book will be available for download from the College Web site.
The Blue Book update was coordinated by the ACAAI Committee on Managed Care and Health Plans, chaired by Dr. Michael Foggs, of Chicago.
Dr. Aaronson receives Gold Headed Cane Award
 In recognition of his integrity and high standards of excellence, Dr. Donald W. Aaronson, Chicago, received the prestigious 8th Annual Gold Headed Cane Award at the Convocation held Nov. 9 during the ACAAI Annual Meeting in Seattle.
Dr. Aaronson is medical director, patient safety, in the Advocate Health Care System in Chicago. He is clinical professor of medicine at Chicago Medical School.
He is a past president of the College, 1988-89, and has served as its Delegate to the AMA Current Procedural Terminology Committee since 1984.
Past president of the Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Dr. Aaronson has served as its executive director since 2000. He co-founded the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters in 1987. He is one of the two allergy advisors to CPT since 1984 and has taught coding and documentation courses to allergists for more than 15 years. He also educated allergists about the OSHA rules on the use of safety-engineered syringes. He served as vice president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 1987-88.
Dr. Aaronson received the ACAAI Distinguished Fellow Award in 1990 and the ACAAI Distinguished Service Award in 2006. He was recognized with the AAAAI Distinguished Service Award in 1997.
Upcoming COLA interactive conferences scheduled
The College’s Allergy Conferences Online (COLA) free Web-based interactive series of live conferences are complementary and not sponsored by industry. Upcoming programs include:
Friday, Nov. 21 (CST):
| • | Strategies for Primary Prevention of Atopy in Children (10:00 a.m.)
| | • | Jeopardy Board Review (11:00 a.m.)
|
Monday, Nov. 24:
| • | Abbas Chapter 7: Antigen Receptors and Accessory Molecules (10:00 a.m.)
| | • | Patient Management Conference (11:00 a.m.)
|
Wednesday, Nov. 29:
| • | Lupus Cerebritis (Noon)
|
Monday, Dec. 1
| • | Getting Published, Part 3: Choosing topics to write about and outlining them (10:00 am)
| | • | TBA
|
To access the conferences, go to the College member Web site to the Distance Learning menu and click COLA. You will see a calendar that lists scheduled programs and instructions on how to join them. Podcasts of previous COLA programs are available on the Web site.
All you really need to participate in COLA is a computer and an Internet connection. You can also hear the conferences and speak directly to the show hosts if you have either a microphone, WebCam or telephone.
The College thanks its generous corporate sponsors
The College would like to thank the following corporate sponsors for their contributions:
Abbott Laboratories Inc.
Alcon Laboratories Inc.
AstraZeneca LP
The Clorox Company
Dyax Corporation
Genentech Inc. and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
GlaxoSmithKline
Greer Laboratories Inc.
Gyrus ACMI an Olympus Company
HollisterStier Laboratories LLC
|
Inspire Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Lincoln Diagnostics
Meda Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Merck & Co. Inc.
sanofi-aventis
Schering-Plough
Sepracor Inc.
Teva Specialty Pharmaceuticals
UCB
|
|
| |
|
AMA Corner |
| |
Welcome to the AMA Corner prepared by Dr. Alnoor A. Malick, ACAAI Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates, to keep you abreast of important AMA news and developments affecting allergy-immunology.
AMA adopts new policies at Interim Meeting
At its Interim Meeting this week, the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) set new policies on artificial trans fats, text messaging while driving, environmentally friendly practices, increasing access to care, Medicare physician payment reform and more. Visit the AMA Web site for the following information:
Tribute video for Dr. Davis posted on AMA Web site
During the opening session of the Interim Meeting Nov. 8, the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) remembered the life of AMA Immediate Past President Dr. Ronald M. Davis, who passed away Nov. 6 after a courageous 9-month fight against pancreatic cancer. Speaker Dr. Jeremy A. Lazarus, read a letter that Dr. Davis wrote to the AMA-HOD before he died, and the AMA produced a video tribute that included images of Dr. Davis throughout his career. Both can be viewed on the AMA Web site.
|
| |
|
Fellows-in-Training |
| |
New FIT Bowl champion: Medical College of Wisconsin
 | |
FIT Bowl first-prize winners were Drs. Anita Gheller-Rigoni and Amit Kumar. |
Drs. Anita Gheller-Rigoni and Amit Kumar of the Medical College of Wisconsin won first prize of the hotly contested 17th Annual ACAAI FIT Bowl competition held during the ACAAI Annual Meeting in Seattle.
Tied for second place were Drs. Douglas Min and Sandeep Reddy of University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Drs. Meghan Lemke and Doug Tzanetos of Vanderbilt University.
Twenty-four teams competed in the fun and fast-paced allergy/immunology quiz show, answering questions ranging from basic science to trivia. There was standing room only as the crowd cheered on their favorites and tested their knowledge. The FIT Bowl was sponsored by UCB.
Board Review Corner
Welcome to the Board Review Corner prepared by Drs. Jennifer W. Mbuthia and Christopher R. Martin, 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 40 of Pediatric Allergy: Principles & Practices, edited by Donald Y.M. Leung, et al. Review questions were written by Dr. Jennifer W. Mbuthia, Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
|
|
