Asthma Clinical Trials

Asthma is a disorder related to the reduced functioning of the airways that affects the lower respiratory tract. It has over 300 million cases across the globe and is responsible for 250,000 deaths per year. Studies state that boys during puberty having a history of asthma from their paternal side could be at a greater risk of developing the condition. Also, people dealing with lung problems since childhood are at risk of developing asthma in the future [2]. This condition could cause a great impact on the physical well-being of an individual by causing morbidity as well as morbidity among a population. Therefore, symptoms of asthma needs to be managed and controlled. Exciting clinicial research for new treatments for asthma is on the horizon.

According to its seriousness, asthma is categorized into chronic and acute types. In acute type, the airways are partially closed due to inflammation whereas in chronic conditions the airways show a high constriction which results in a significant decrease in the air transport across the respiratory system.

An airway is a path where the transport of substances occurs across the lungs. The airways become narrow, inflamed, swollen and tend to produce more mucus which could act as a resistance for the particles traveling through the air across the respiratory system - resulting in respiratory problems such as breathing.

Immunological responses are stimulated on the human body during childhood when allergens such as fungi, dust mites, pollens, etc. are inhaled, which results into the inflammation of airway and enhances smooth muscle contractility in those airways. Asthma could also be triggered during adulthood through the inhalation of chemical fumes, gases, dusts, tobacco, etc. present at the workplace.

Symptoms are characterized by the presence of wheezing, shortness of breath, tightening or paining of chest and coughing. Apart from the respiratory issues one may also experience anxiety, increased rate of heartbeat as well as irritation in the throat area. The seriousness of symptoms could vary based on the type of asthma, chronic or acute. The frequency of symptoms may last for a short period of time or be continuous. They may occur less than twice a week for intermittent asthma or may occur daily in case of severe persistent asthma.

External environmental conditions could also affect the manifestation of symptoms. For e.g. exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is a condition of asthma in which the symptoms could get worse in the presence of cold and dry air.

The first step in the diagnosis is studying the symptoms the patient is manifesting, as well as analyzing his medical history. An x-ray of the lungs or sinuses could provide a better picture to a medical expert in order to detect the presence of asthma. Test for the functionality of lungs, which includes spirometry, peak airflow, etc. Bronchial provocation that could be used to detect the exact condition of the airway hyper-responsiveness, which could have a great importance in the diagnosis. It should be noted that the detection of asthma in children below the age of five is quite difficult [4]. Early diagnosis can provide systematic treatment that shows satisfactory results for patients dealing with the condition.

There are no proper cures for asthma. However, the symptoms can be effectively controlled. Avoiding exposure to allergens is proven to be an effective way to decrease the inflammation of the airway. Apart from that, immunotherapy could also be used to cause desensitization to the allergens. Two major types of immunotherapy are used on the treatment of asthma, which include allergy shots and sublingual tablets, both consisting of weakened allergens that improve the immunological responses of the body. Allergy shots with increasing concentrations are injected into a patient over a period of time, whereas sublingual tablets used to treat chronic disorders could be dissolved under the tongue of a patient, and be used daily for about 3 years [5].

Medications

Two major drugs are used to control asthma, which include short-acting inhaled beta2-agonists and anticholinergics. They are responsible for the expanding the constricted airways, resulting in normal functioning of air transport. Corticosteroids could be used in order to reduce inflammation, however it should be noted that corticosteroids are proven to be dangerous if taken without a medical prescription [5]. Other medications include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, beta blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and aspirin [3].

The drugs designed for the management of symptoms related to asthma could have their delivery methods improved. They could be delivered directly to the affected airway or to the site of the disease in order to improve its effectiveness and decrease the cases of side effects [2]. The relationship between pathogenesis of asthma and the interaction of sensitization during childhood could be studied in order to improve the treatments. Also, proper understanding of immunological reactions happening in adult bodies due to unknown allergens present at the workplaces could result in advances on the treatment of asthma.

REFERENCES

Asthma is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Environmental factors include exposure to air pollution and allergens. Other potential triggers include medications such as aspirin and beta blockers. Diagnosis is usually based on the pattern of symptoms, response to therapy over time, and spirometry. Asthma is classified according to the frequency of symptoms, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow rate. It may also be classified as atopic or non-atopic, where atopy refers to a predisposition toward developing a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction.

There is no cure for asthma. Symptoms can be prevented by avoiding triggers, such as allergens and irritants, and by the use of inhaled corticosteroids. Long-acting beta agonists (LABA) or antileukotriene agents may be used in addition to inhaled corticosteroids if asthma symptoms remain uncontrolled. Treatment of rapidly worsening symptoms is usually with an inhaled short-acting beta-2 agonist such as salbutamol and corticosteroids taken by mouth. In very severe cases, intravenous corticosteroids, magnesium sulfate, and hospitalization may be required.

In 2015, 358 million people globally had asthma, up from 183 million in 1990. It caused about 397,100 deaths in 2015, most of which occurred in the developing world. It often begins in childhood. The rates of asthma have increased significantly since the 1960s. Asthma was recognized as early as Ancient Egypt. The word "asthma" is from the Greek ἅσθμα, ásthma, which means "panting".