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May 6, 2009 |
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Welcome to ACAAI eNews - a monthly aggregated news
service from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. To be
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Association News |
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Distance
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Conferences
On Line Allergy Initiative (COLA)
2008 ACAAI Annual Meeting CME Symposium
2008 ACAAI Annual Meeting Podcasts and Vodcasts
2008 ACAAI/AAAAI Certification/Maintenance of Certification Board Review Course
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Periodicals |
Annals of Allergy, Asthma and
Immunology
Current issue
AllergyWatch
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MAY
Atopy Patch Testing in Food Allergy
New York Allergy & Asthma Society
ACAAI Jointly Sponsored
May 13, New York, N.Y.
Contact: Robert M. Klein, Md.
Tel: 973-773-7400
Email
Prairie State Allergy Society Workshop
ACAAI Jointly Sponsored
May 15, Bloomington, Ill.
Contact: Rachael McClellan, BFA
Tel: 309-452-0995
Email
7th Annual New Orleans Aeroallergen Course
Ochsner Baptist Medical Center
May 26-29, New Orleans, La.
Tel: 800-778-9353
Email
Link
JUNE
XXVIII EAACI Congress
June 5-10, Warsaw, Poland
Tel: +46 8 459 66 23
Email
Link
Asthma and Allergy Society of Virginia 2009 Symposium
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
June 19-21, Virginia Beach, Va.
Contact: Craig S. Koenig, M.D.
Tel: 757-547-7702
Email
JULY
CSAAI’s 17th Annual Meeting
A Midsummer Night’s Wheeze
July 10-12, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Contact: David Arriola
Tel: 323-442-2546
Email
IWAA Hot Topics in Allergy and Asthma
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
July 16-19, Sun Valley, Idaho
Contact: Doug Huneywell
Tel: 509-924-9722
Email
27th Annual Asthma Allergy Conference
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
July 29 - Aug. 1, Aspen, Colo.
Contact: Jill Hibbeln
Tel: 303-520-7660
Email
AUGUST
Alabama Society of Allergy and Immunology's
30th Annual Postgraduate Review Course
Aug. 7-9, Destin, Fla.
Contact: Mr. Richard Carson
Tel: 334-954-2577
Email
SEPTEMBER
2nd European Congress of Immunology
Sept. 13-16, Berlin, Germany
Tel: +49 (0)30 24603-0
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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Vitamin D levels inversely linked to asthma severity
There may be a link between vitamin D insufficiency and asthma severity, according to a study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Researchers from Harvard Medical School studied 616 children with asthma living in the Central Valley of Costa Rica, giving each lung function, allergen-specific and general sensitivity tests, as well as blood tests for circulating vitamin D levels. Subjects with FEV1 that exceeded 65 percent of the predicted value also were tested for airway reactivity. Subjects with lower vitamin D levels were significantly more likely to have been hospitalized for asthma in the previous year, had higher total IgE levels, and were more likely to have used inhaled corticosteroids.
Study: Few NCAA trainers following NIH asthma standards
Few athletic trainers associated with National Collegiate Athletic Association programs are following best practice standards for managing asthma in their athletes, according to a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Researchers from the Asthma Center at the Ohio State University Medical Center sent electronic surveys to 3,200 athletic trainers in NCAA sports medicine programs, asking questions related to the diagnosis and management of exercise-induced bronchospasm. Of the 541 responders, only 17 percent reported screening athletes for exercise-induced bronchospasm. Twenty-one percent said their institutions had an asthma management protocol, and 22 percent reported having a pulmonologist on staff. Thirty-nine percent reported that a rescue inhaler does not have to be available at all practices, and 41 percent said an inhaler does not have to be present at all games. Results suggest that most NCAA sports medicine programs are not adhering to national asthma guidelines, as established by the National Institutes of Health.
Folic acid may improve allergic disease, asthma symptoms
Folic acid may inhibit allergic reactions and lessen the severity of allergy and asthma symptoms, according to a study in Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology. Scientists from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine reviewed the medical records of more than 8,000 people ages 2 to 85, tracking the effect of folate levels on respiratory and allergic symptoms and on levels of IgE antibodies. Subjects with higher blood levels of folate had fewer IgE antibodies, fewer reported allergies, less wheezing, and lower likelihood of asthma. But authors caution that it’s too soon to recommend folic acid supplements to prevent or treat people with asthma and allergies because more research is needed.
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A message from ACAAI President Richard G. Gower, M.D., FACAAI
Allergist campaign is what’s needed in these troubled economic times
Over the last few months, members of the ACAAI Board of Regents and marketing task force have been presenting practical information about our new public awareness and education campaign to local, state, regional, and international societies. We have received enthusiastic responses. Everywhere we give presentations, allergists tell us that this program is exactly the type of initiative they need in these troubled economic times, and they are pleased to see the ACAAI addressing practical issues affecting the market place.
The campaign messages most appreciated include:
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Anyone with allergies and asthma should be able to feel good, be active all day and sleep well at night. No one should accept less.
- Allergies and asthma are serious diseases and should be treated as such.
- Allergists have the training and expertise to treat more than just symptoms. They can identify the source of suffering and develop a treatment plan to eliminate the symptoms.
Have your patients visit www.AllergyandAsthmaRelief.org for access to new tools to gauge whether they need help with allergies and asthma symptoms and to obtain a personalized plan for relief. The Web site also enables them to find an allergist.
At the local, state and regional meetings, we are hearing allergists like the strategic mix of advertising and public relations, but also recognize that all the work cannot be accomplished in national media. Allergists really appreciate that a significant part of the campaign is directed to putting materials in your hands that you can use within your own communities to promote the services you are able to provide.
Some ACAAI members have told me that the value of this campaign to their practices is worth far more than the annual $280 dues. At a recent meeting, one of our Board members was asked whether the campaign was benefiting allergists who are not members of the College — those who haven’t paid their “admission fee.” Collateral benefits from the campaign were anticipated, are occurring, and are good. Those benefiting include the public, payers, providers, and allergists who are not members of the College. Those outside our ranks may not have access to the member kit materials for promoting their individual practices, but they do benefit generally from the national effort to raise public awareness of who we are and what we do.
The ACAAI does not wish to exclude anyone. As allergists, our numbers are small, and the task is large. The College’s overall goal is to improve the allergy and asthma care of all patients. To accomplish this, we welcome new ideas, resources and enthusiasm by reaching out to all allergists.
If you or someone you know are interested in obtaining the campaign member kit, please join the ACAAI today.
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 Update on H1N1 flu
Daniel Ein, MD, FACAAI, ACAAI past president
Preparing for infected patients
It has been said that nature is the worst bioterrorist. This is once again being proven with the emergence of a new strain of H1N1 influenza A, apparently arising in April, either in California or Mexico, with 615 identified cases in 19 states and 15 countries, as of this writing, on May 2.
What is not yet clear is the virulence of this year’s particular virus. There have been 16 confirmed deaths in Mexico for a fatality rate of 4 percent, about the rate one might expect from influenza. Sadly, it appears that many of the deaths have occurred in people who delayed seeking treatment, so a number of these deaths might have been preventable. And, as is typical of influenza, many of the deaths occurred in young people. Nevertheless, reports coming out of Mexico, and data in the U.S. thus far, suggest this is a mild virus, which is not so easily transmissible from person to person. Bear in mind that these are preliminary data and that we must remain vigilant until the epidemic passes.
So, as allergists, what do we need to know about influenza, and how should we be prepared for this strain?
As with other respiratory illnesses, influenza is likely to cause exacerbations of asthma. We know from epidemiologic studies that asthmatic adults and children are more likely to be hospitalized and have outpatient visits as a result of flu than healthy people (Glezen, W.P., JACI 2006; 118:1199-1206.). And, we know that allergists are often the first point of contact for many patients with respiratory infections. This means that we need to be especially prepared to take care of these patients and to protect ourselves and our staff members from acquiring the infection.
Detailed guidelines are available from numerous sources, including the CDC and your state medical societies. The AMA has an excellent Web site that I recommend highly.
The CDC site also is helpful.
I will highlight only a few measures of particular importance.
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Primary prevention starts with good respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.
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Each office or medical facility should have a plan and materials (masks, etc.) in place for how it will address issues of handling the infected patient.
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Patients should be instructed to contact you, or their primary care physicians, early in the course of a suspected flu because the infection is treatable with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamavir (Relenza), but these need to be started within 48 hours of onset of the disease. Please note that Relenza is not indicated for patients with underlying airways disease as it can cause serious bronchospasm.
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Patients should be reminded to be vigilant about their asthma control if they get a respiratory infection, to monitor their peak flow more diligently, to be especially compliant with their treatment programs and to contact us early on if their asthma is getting worse.
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Patients, physicians, and their office staffs, should get vaccinated if and when a vaccine becomes available, which will be at least six months from now. There is no protection from this virus with the most recent flu vaccine.
In summary, we need to continue to do what we all do every day, but with the added burden of staying ahead of a potentially difficult and rapidly spreading disease.
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Association
News |
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New features added to Allergist Web site
Two new features are available on AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org, the Web site for the ACAAI’s public education and advocacy campaign.
Lifetime Symptom Calculator: Patients can find out the amount of time lost to sneezes and wheezes with a calculator that lets them key in the frequency of allergy or asthma symptoms during the past year and converts the figure to the time spent over a lifetime. For example, just two months of putting up with symptoms annually adds up to 12 years of suffering over a typical lifetime.
E-card:
To direct allergy and asthma sufferers to the Web site, an animated e-card is available for allergists and patients to send to friends and family.
To join the national campaign, sign-up for the Relief Team and receive a free toolkit to promote your practice, visit www.AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org/order.
CDC and WHO offer information and resources on swine flu
Keeping up with the rapidly changing outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) and the large volume of media reports can be a daunting task. Below are resources you may find helpful.
The CDC provides current information and healthcare measures related to swine flu. The site contains information including guidance for professionals, the current U.S. case count, the human swine flu investigation, a video podcast and brochure titled “Swine Influenza in Pigs and People.” You also can subscribe to receive free, automatic e-mail updates from the CDC as new information becomes available.
WHO (World Health Organization) is coordinating the global response to human cases of H1N1 and monitoring the corresponding threat of an influenza pandemic. Information includes tracking the evolving global situation and providing access to both technical guidelines and information useful for the general public.
The College will continue to monitor new developments and contact you with updates.
Online abstract submission open: Deadline July 15
You can now submit your abstract online for the ACAAI Annual Meeting in Miami Beach, Nov. 5-11. The deadline is 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, July 15. Only electronic submissions will be accepted.
To submit an abstract, go to the ACAAI Web site and click on the headline “2009 Annual Meeting Abstract Submission.” On-screen prompts will take you through the submission process.
If you have already begun to enter an abstract in the system — but did not actually hit the
"submit" button — you must go back into the system and submit. After the abstract is submitted, you will receive an e-mail confirmation. Abstracts not officially submitted cannot be considered.
Abstracts selected for oral or poster presentations will be published in the October issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. FITs who submit an abstract will be considered for the ACAAI Clemens von Pirquet Award. Applications are optional.
ABAI-certified College Members urged to apply for Fellow
Qualified ACAAI Members are invited to apply for promotion to Fellow once they become ABAI-certified. Advantages to being a Fellow of the College include voting rights, and you would then be eligible to serve on the Board of Regents or be considered for other key appointments of the College. New Fellows will be honored and awarded fellowship certificates at the Convocation held Saturday morning during the ACAAI Annual Meeting in Miami Beach, Nov. 5-10.
“Hot Topics in Allergy” airs daily on ReachMD XM Satellite Radio
The “Hot Topics in Allergy” series, created in partnership with ACAAI, airs daily on the ReachMD XM Satellite Radio (Channel 160). Program hosts Todd A. Mahr, M.D., FACAAI, and Ketan K. Sheth, M.D., M.B.A., discuss late-breaking news with experts, and interview ACAAI Annual Meeting faculty and authors of studies published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. ReachMD offers breaking medical news, roundtable discussions, medical education and other unique programming 24/7 via live streaming, OnDemand listening and downloadable podcasts. Listen at XM160 or online with promo code: ACAAI.
The EPA’s National Asthma Forum to be held June 4-5
Join leading experts and future leaders at the Communities in Action for Asthma-Friendly Environments National Asthma Forum, June 4-5, in Washington, D.C. Come learn how to improve your asthma program’s quality and impact, design a customized strategy for success in your community, and how to evaluate your program's impact and attract funders. Register today.
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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.
Specialty societies outline health system reform goals
In an April 27 letter organized by the AMA and sent to key congressional committee leaders, 44 medical specialty organizations, including the ACAAI, through the Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, described their common goals and strategies for health system reform. The letter advocates improving access to care for all Americans by building on the current employer-based insurance system and making coverage more affordable for individuals and small businesses. It also outlines important reforms to government insurance programs and offers ideas for promoting high-quality care, supporting wellness and prevention efforts, reducing cost trends, and reforming payment and delivery systems.
New AMA resource a one-stop shop for ePrescribing information
An online learning center recently launched by the AMA can help physicians and practice managers make informed decisions about electronic prescribing, also known as ePrescribing. With vast educational content and interactive tools, this convenient resource allows users to assess ePrescribing technology at their own pace in an impartial environment.
AMA resource spells out FTC’s “red flags rule”
A new resource from the AMA can help physicians incorporate a simple identity theft prevention and detection program into their existing compliance and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act security and privacy policies. The AMA developed this resource, which includes a sample policy, in the wake of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations known as the “red flags rule,” which require certain entities to develop and implement programs to protect consumers from identity theft.
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Fellows-in-Training |
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Have any questions, suggestions or comments? Feel free to contact your regional or national FIT representatives listed on the Fellows-in-Training page of the College Web site.
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.
Chapter 51: Atopic Dermatitis and Food Hypersensitivity
Chapter 52: Management of Food Allergy
Review Questions: Pediatric Allergy: Principles & Practices, edited by Donald Y.M. Leung, et al. Questions and answers were written by:
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Chapter 51: Jeremy Katcher, M.D., University of Tennessee, and Jennifer W. Mbuthia, M.D., Walter Reed Army Medical Center
- Chapter 52: Tracy Pitt, M.D., Winnipeg Children’s Hospital, and Christopher R. Martin, M.D., Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
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