Top in allergy/asthma: Climate change worsens allergies; the future of AI in health care

Climate change and global warming are causing an increase in the prevalence and severity of environmental allergies and an uptick in other immune-related illnesses, according to a review published in Frontiers in Science.

The review discussed the main challenges to the human immune system that have arisen due to climate change, including increased pollen burden, more intense and frequent wildfires, and more frequent sand and dust storms, thunderstorms and heatwaves.

“With climate change, there’s an increase in pollution, such as CO₂, and particulate matter,” Mary Margaret Johnson, MD, PhD, principal research scientist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and author on the paper, told Healio. “There’s an increase in wildfires and other things, which increase our levels of pollution. And that’s a major source and a major risk factor impairing our immune systems.”

The authors called for a reduction in the use of fossil fuels and increased focus on clean energy, which they said could help to mitigate the effects of global warming and improve immune system functioning. It was the top story in allergy/asthma last week.

Another top story was about the many benefits AI can offer physicians, such as rapid data analysis, and the challenges of implementing AI into health care, such as FDA clearances.

Read these and more top stories in allergy/asthma below:

Climate change major cause of increased allergy prevalence

Global warming and climate change are affecting the human exposome and triggering more complex immune responses, according to a recent review. Read more.

AI faces many barriers as it changes the future of health care

AI has been widely discussed in the realm of health care. Like any new technology, it faces barriers in implementation, according to Ronald M. Razmi, MD, cardiologist and cofounder of Zoi Capital. Read more.

California child advocate back at state capitol to champion new allergy safety bill

Zacky Muñoz is once again in front of the California state capitol with his third piece of legislation advocating to advance the safety of school-aged children with critical allergies. Read more.

Children show poor asthma outcomes in high environmental injustice areas in Atlanta

Children living in census tracts with greater environmental injustice experienced poorer asthma outcomes, according to a study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. Read more.

Patients see fewer asthma exacerbations with lebrikizumab

Patients with asthma exacerbations and elevated blood eosinophils and fractional exhaled nitric oxide saw fewer exacerbations with lebrikizumab, according to a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. Read more.