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Jan. 28, 2009 |
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Welcome to ACAAI eNews - a bi-weekly aggregated news
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2008 ACAAI Annual Meeting CME Symposium
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2008 ACAAI/AAAAI Certification/Maintenance of Certification Board Review Course
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Annals of Allergy, Asthma and
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Current issue
AllergyWatch
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FEBRUARY
Oregon Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Feb. 11, Eugene, Ore.
Contact: Gina J. Williams
Tel: 360-708-9555
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 4 341 5663
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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Top
Stories |
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Steroids not the answer for viral-induced wheezing in children
Steroids don’t ease wheezing and may even be harmful to young children with a viral infection, according to two studies in the New England Journal of Medicine. In one study, researchers at the University of Leicester studied 687 children from 10 to 60 months old who presented with wheezing associated with a viral infection at three hospitals in England, randomly assigning them either a five-day course of oral prednisolone or placebo. There was no significant difference between the prednisolone and placebo groups in hospitalization duration, the interval between hospital admission and clinician’s discharge, nor secondary outcomes or adverse events.
In another study, scientists from the University of Montreal studied 129 children from 1 to 6 years old with a history of wheezing. The children received either inhaled fluticasone or placebo by their parents at the first sign of infection. After 10 months, the steroid group had milder symptoms and received fewer doses of medication, but they also had smaller height and weight gains than the placebo group.
“The findings of these two studies are in line with the practice of the vast majority of the allergy/immunology specialists,” said ACAAI President-Elect Dr. Sami Bahna, Chief of Allergy & Immunology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. ”In the absence of asthma, oral or inhaled corticosteroids are not a mainstream therapy for viral-induced wheezing in children. In the majority of these children, wheezing improves with time and supportive treatment.”
Parent’s health problems can cloud view of child’s asthma
Children with asthma whose parents have chronic disease have more health problems and miss more school than other children with asthma, according to a study in Pediatrics. Scientists at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston studied surveys of 561 children from 5 to 17 years old with asthma. Children who had a parent with a chronic health problem missed an average of one to two more days of school per year, and their parents were less likely to rate their child’s health as “very good.” The findings suggest that the parents’ own health conditions my affect their perceptions of their children’s health, according to the authors.
FDA: No link so far between asthma drugs, suicide risk
There is no evidence of a link so far, according to the US Food and Drug Administration’s safety review of possible suicidal behavior among people taking montelukast, zafirlukast and zileuton (name brands Singulair, Accolate and Zyflo, respectively). According to the FDA, the review began in March 2008, and, so far, the clinical trail data submitted by the manufacturers do not suggest an association between the drugs and an increased risk of mood changes or suicidal behavior. The review is expected to continue.
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A message from ACAAI President Richard G. Gower, M.D., FACAAI
“ACAAI Allergist Buyers Guide” simplifies search for products and services
The College is pleased to announce the January launch of the ACAAI Allergist Buyers Guide — the first product marketplace representing the field of allergy-immunology.
As our specialty’s first comprehensive listing of allergy-immunology products and services, the Allergist Buyers Guide provides ACAAI members and other industry professionals with a unique online search tool that will give them quick access to a comprehensive directory of industry-specific products and services.
The fully searchable site features listings of companies — including ACAAI Annual Meeting exhibitors — grouped into business segments, such as clinical support services, medical equipment, practice management, and pharmaceuticals. In addition, companies may also include videos, testimonials, and product specifications.
 Online searchers can easily locate products and services unique to allergy-immunology without the clutter of a general Internet search engine. Users have the option of performing keyword-driven searches, or a category-specific search. Both methods will produce the most industry-relevant results on the Web.
The Allergist Buyers Guide also includes request for information (RFI) functionality. This feature allows users to contact participating suppliers with a click of their mouse. ACAAI members have the ability to search for items directly from a small search window on their desktops — making the search process as convenient and time-efficient as possible.
I hope you will find this new member service helpful in your search for products to help your practice. Please try this new tool and give us feedback at president@acaai.org so improvements can be made where necessary.
Special thanks to the following members who helped put this program together: James R. Claflin, M.D., FACAAI; Kathleen R. May, M.D., FACAAI; and Lyndon E. Mansfield, M.D., FACAAI.
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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
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advertising templates
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a window cling featuring the new allergist logo
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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.
Applications for leadership roles due Feb. 15
The College invites applications for the 2009-2010 positions of vice president and treasurer, and for a position on its Board of Regents for 2009-2012. All interested Fellows are encouraged to complete a questionnaire and submit it with a cover letter and curriculum vitae to the College office no later than Feb. 15.
Fellows with a track record of excellent service on College committees or who are substantially involved in other College activities are given the highest priority. Candidates for the positions of treasurer and vice president must have previously served a three-year term on the ACAAI Board of Regents.
Applications will be enclosed with the upcoming issue of ACAAI News and are available on the College Web site.
Active members invited to apply for Fellow
If you are an active, ABAI-certified member, the College invites you to apply for Fellow and be recognized at the Convocation on Saturday morning, Nov. 7, during the 2009 ACAAI Annual Meeting in Miami, Nov. 5-10.
Thirty-two fellows were recognized at the 2008 Convocation in Seattle.
Annual Meeting Webcasts now available for CME credit
The following scientific symposia from the ACAAI's 2008 Annual Meeting are available as Webcasts and offer complimentary CME credit:
- “Update in Hereditary Angioedema: A Disease in Rapid Evolution” — supported by a grant from Dyax Corporation
- “Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) for Allergic Rhinitis: The Latest Evidence” — supported by a grant from Schering-Plough
Complementary CME credits are available for those who did not receive credit for attending the meeting.
Vodcasts on Annual Meeting programs now available weekly
The College is now offering complimentary vodcasts of 2008 ACAAI Annual Meeting scientific sessions for viewing or downloading from the Distance Learning page of the ACAAI Web site.
Members can view new streaming 30-minute vodcasts of key sessions on their computers weekly, or download them as files directly to a portable media player. The first vodcasts contain the slides and audio from the 2008 half-day conferences in Seattle on Tracking Oral Immunotherapy: Should We Begin the Slit Express and Dermatology and Your Practice:
- “Why We Should Get on the Train: Pro SLIT” (1/19) — presented by Moises A. Calderon, M.D, Ph.D.
- “Why We Should Remain on the Platform: Con SLIT” (1/26) — presented by Linda S. Cox, M.D., FACAAI
- “European SLIT Methods & Techniques” (2/2) — presented by Moises A. Calderon, M.D., Ph.D.
Future vodcasts will feature selected sessions from the Literature Review Course and the named lectures. This convenient service is sponsored by an educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline.
Connect to upcoming COLA interactive conferences
The College’s Allergy Conferences Online (COLA) free Web-based interactive series of live conferences are complementary and not sponsored by industry. Upcoming programs, including 3-hour conferences on Wednesdays beginning Jan. 28 (and available as podcasts), are:
- “Ocular Allergy” (1/28) — Leonard Bielory, M.D., FACAAI
- “Web and Allergy Online” (1/28) — Dana V. Wallace, M.D., FACAAI
- “Environmental Health Program” (1/28) — Kevin Kennedy, C.I.E.C.
- “Churg Strauss & Wegener’s Granulomatosis” (1/30) — Paul Dowling, M.D., FACAAI
- “Jeopardy Board Review” (1/30) — Allergy Fellows
- “Immunotherapy” (2/4) — Linda S. Cox, M.D., FACAAI
- “Meet the President” (2/4) — Richard G. Gower, M.D., FACAAI
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.
“Hot Topics in Allergy” airs daily on ReachMD XM Satellite Radio
The “Hot Topics in Allergy” series airing daily, exclusively on the ReachMD XM Satellite Radio (Channel 160), is created in partnership with ACAAI.
New programs include the following topics, with hosts Todd A. Mahr, M.D., FACAAI, and Ketan K. Sheth, M.D., M.B.A.:
- “Clinical Trials” (2/2) — Steven F. Weinstein, M.D., FACAAI
- “Anaphylaxis Parameters” (2/9) — Richard A. Nicklas, M.D., FACAAI
Listen at XM160 or online with promo code: ACAAI. ReachMD offers breaking medical news, roundtable discussions, medical education and other unique programming 24/7 to more than 250,000 weekly listeners.
RSLAAIS invites you to attend March 13 Environmental Health Forum
The Federation of Regional, State and Local Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Societies (RSLAAIS) is sponsoring an interdisciplinary forum, “Environment, Public Policy and Human Health,” from 3 to 5:30 p.m. March 13 in the historic Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill. The RSLAAIS Board of Governors, the AAAAI and US Rep. Steve Kagen, M.D., (W-Wisc), extend an invitation to all allergists and others with an interest in environmental policy and human health to attend this special event. The program highlights for decision makers in Washington the role of allergy/immunology specialists in environmental medicine and public health.
The program will feature presentations and an interactive discussion with scientific/legislative thought leaders, including:
- “Global Perspective — The Environment and Human Health” — Paul Epstein, M.D., MPH; Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School, Boston
- “National Perspective — View of a Doctor in the House” — Rep. Steven Kagen, Water Resources and Environment Sub-committee, US House of Representatives
- “Regional Perspective — The Alaska Experience — Aberration or Window to the Future?” – Jeffrey Demain, M.D., Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Center of Alaska; Anchorage, Alaska; Governor’s Sub-cabinet on Climate Change, State of Alaska
- “Patient/Physician Perspective — The Environment / Immune System Interface — How it Fits Together” — David Peden, M.D., Center for Environmental Medicine Asthma & Lung Biology; University of North Carolina School of Medicine; Chapel Hill, N.C.
As you make your travel plans for D.C., please set aside time to join RSLAAIS allergists from around the country on Friday afternoon at this special event.
To register visit http://www.aaaai.org/members/rslsocieties/rsvp.
AAFA releases results of Food Allergen Labeling Survey
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) released the results of its online survey to learn how Americans with allergies use food labels to learn about their choices. According to AAFA, allergic patients are overwhelmingly committed to reading labels that list the ingredients of the food products they purchase.
Federal law now requires that food labels list ingredients, but some experts worry that many consumers ignore food labels. “To the contrary, nine out of 10 of those we surveyed said that they read these labels and that this information affects their purchases, so we are encouraged that allergic consumers do not ignore labels,” said Charlotte W. Collins, AAFA, director of public policy and advocacy, who wrote AAFA’s report.
However, survey results indicate that there is room for improving information presented on food labels, especially allergy warnings. AAFA found that 99 of 100 allergic consumers said they are familiar with allergen warning labels but think allergen warnings on labels are insufficient as they are currently used. Many criticized the use of statements such as, “This product may contain” a certain allergen, as over-inclusive, and said that manufacturers use these statements to shield themselves from liability. The most frequent recommendation among the comments was for clear, consistent, and standard messages.
AAFA distributed the survey online during October 2008, and 2,499 people who described themselves as allergic or caretakers of an allergic person completed the survey.
AAFA CEO appointed to NIH Council
William M. McLin, president and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, was appointed to the Council of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), an institute of the National Institutes of Health, for a four-year term. The Council is a chartered advisory committee that provides a diverse perspective on science, health and the human impact of diseases.
McLin will serve on the advisory subcommittee of the Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation through Oct. 31, 2012. During program reviews, the subcommittee advises on a program's effectiveness in meeting Institute goals and the needs of the allergy and immunology community.
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AMA Corner
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Welcome to the AMA Corner, prepared by Alnoor A. Malick, M.D., FACAAI, the College’s Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates. AMA Corner helps keep you abreast of important AMA news and developments impacting allergy-immunology.
AMA claims victory with record-breaking settlement against insurer
In the wake of settlements between the New York attorney general’s office and health insurers UnitedHealth Group and Aetna, the AMA — along with the Medical Society of the State of New York and the Missouri State Medical Association — earned a legal triumph with a settlement agreement reached Jan. 15 in its long-standing lawsuit against United. View AMA news release.
Pending since 2000, the lawsuit challenged the validity of the United-owned Ingenix database to determine the reimbursement rates for out-of-network care. The $350-million settlement marks the largest monetary settlement of a class action lawsuit against a single health insurer in the United States. And it ensures that United will be held accountable for reimbursing the patients and physicians it shortchanged through the use of the flawed Ingenix database.
A new AMA Web site launching this week that has more for you
A more engaging and interactive AMA Web site has been designed around its most important audience — you! Offering a fresh look and expanded content, the AMA’s newly redesigned Web site will launch Jan. 29 and present a wealth of information and resources in a more dynamic and timely fashion. On Jan. 29, visit http://www.ama-assn.org to view and use the new site featuring:
- More content and resources accessible directly from the home page, which means fewer clicks for the information you need
- Dedicated sections for physicians, residents and fellows, students, and patients that provide quick and easy access to the content most important to you
- News pages updated daily so you know what is happening
- Related links that direct you to other information and resources that may be of interest to you
New resources can help doctors with PQRI
Physicians participating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) have new resources at their disposal that can make it easier to report clinical performance data. Developed by the AMA, these resources can help physicians report data for the six measures groups and the 131 individual quality measures that can be reported through claims-based submission. They include a data collection sheet that incorporates all of the individual measure-specific information in one step-by-step worksheet for clinical use and office and billing staffs. |
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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 45 of Pediatric Allergy: Principles & Practices, edited by Donald Y.M. Leung, et al. Review questions were written by Thomas G. Sternberg, M.D., Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center and Jennifer W. Mbuthia, M.D., Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
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