Fall Season, Effects Of Climate Change

May Present New Challenges For Allergic Asthma Sufferers Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) Sheds Light on the Relationship Between Growing Environmental Triggers, Allergic Asthma and IgE Testing Mike Tringale, Director of External Affairs, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) Asthma Sufferers Encouraged to Know Their IgE Number Asthma affects 20 million people in the United States. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that 60 percent of the people in the United States with asthma have allergic asthma, a type of asthma that can be triggered by allergens such as dust mites, animal dander, mold spores and cockroaches. People with allergic asthma produce IgE (Immunoglobulin E) when they are exposed to allergens. IgE is a type of antibody that is present in minute amounts in the body but plays a major role in allergic diseases. The production of IgE, in turn, triggers the allergic inflammatory cascade which leads to an increase in asthma symptoms and attacks. An increasing number of studies continue to indicate the impact of climate change on the environment, business, and the economy. However, research suggests that the phenomenon may have very real consequences on our health especially for people suffering from allergic asthma. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), asthma sufferers may be one of the groups in the United States most affected by climate change. Meanwhile, a study published in The Lancet finds that increasing temperatures are stimulating the growth of mold and other allergic triggers, potentially contributing to the rising prevelance of asthma. Also, a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives states that global warming has the potential to alter the timing and abundance of airborne allergens. According to study authors, this shift could result in increased symptoms in those with asthma. These findings may have important consequences, including an extended allergy season in many areas of the country. In fact, federal asthma treatment guidelines released this summer specifically recommend for the first time that doctors evaluate if environmental triggers play any role in their patients’ asthma. AAFA encourages asthma patients to visit the “Whats My IgE?” campaign Web site, http://www.WhatsMyIgE.com www.WhatsMyIgE.com . This online resource contains facts about IgE, helps visitors find out where they can get a free IgE screening and assists patients in locating an asthma specialist in their area. “Whats My IgE?” is supported by Genentech, Inc. and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation