Top news of September: OTC decongestants, patient engagement, food allergies
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Healio compiled the most-read news in allergy, asthma and immunology posted in September.
An FDA panel’s decision on oral phenylephrine, more effective communication with patients, best practices in food allergy testing and a variety of influences on asthma were among the most popular topics last month.
FDA panel deems ingredient in over-the-counter nasal decongestant ineffective
The Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee called oral phenylephrine no more effective than placebo, with low bioavailability, limited pharmacodynamic changes and safety concerns with testing higher doses. Read more.
Breakups with problem patients require communication, documentation
Physicians need to discuss patients’ responsibilities with them early in care and carefully note when they fail to meet these expectations before severing these relationships, Kim Stanger, JD, said at the Association of PAs in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Allergy, Asthma & Immunology CME Conference. Read more.
Boost patient engagement with AI
Engaging with patients takes time and effort. Physicians can use AI to manage routine administrative tasks in the background so they can concentrate on having conversations, making personal connections and meeting their needs, Maria Gil, MHA, wrote in her latest column. Read more.
Food allergy testing 101
Physicians who do not know how to interpret broad panel tests should not order them. Instead, they should refer patients to specialists who know which specific tests to order and when to order them, Douglas H. Jones, MD, wrote in his latest column in the Food Allergy: Fact vs. Fiction series. Read more.
Omega 3 supplementation during pregnancy reduces infant risks for food allergy
Maternal omega-3 supplementation had significant effects on egg and peanut sensitization among infants, but supplementation among infants did not have any significant effect on their food allergy status, according to a study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. Read more.
Q&A: As FDA panel deems decongestants ineffective, experts discuss impact on allergy care
As patients seek alternatives to popular OTC remedies for allergy symptoms, Douglas H. Jones; MD, Marilyn Li, MD; and Zachary E. Rubin, MD, discuss the FDA’s decision and where patients should now turn for relief. Read more.
Q&A: Allergists answer common caregiver questions about food allergy
Parents and caregivers often ask pediatricians how they can best prevent their kids from getting food allergies, among other queries. Scott H. Sicherer, MD, FAAP; Abigail Lang, MD, MSCI; and John M. James, MD, have the answers to the most common questions that pediatricians get. Read more.
Airborne particles from cooking, candles can negatively impact patients with mild asthma
Cooking and candles emit high amounts of fine and ultrafine particles that are small enough to penetrate the deepest regions of the lungs, study researcher Karin Rosenkilde Laursen, PhD told Healio. Also, Daniel P. Croft, MD, MPH, provides his Perspective. Read more.
Digital inhaler improves short-term medication adherence, long-term asthma control
Adherence rates improved with 1 week of using an inhaler with an electronic monitoring device that was connected to a mobile app but began to decline after 6 months, although improvements in asthma control persisted through 12 months, Susanne van de Hei, MS, said during her presentation at European Respiratory Society International Congress. Read more.
Neighborhoods with more opportunity associated with less pediatric asthma
Asthma was less common among children who lived in neighborhoods with high and very high opportunity during their early lives than among those who lived in areas with less opportunity, Izzuddin M. Aris, PhD, and colleagues found. Also, Payel Gupta, MD, FACAAI, shares her Perspective. Read more.