Biggest Ever Asthma Study Set to be Launched in Oz

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in Australia has issued a $2.9 million grant for the biggest ever study on asthma to be launched shortly.

Titled The Asthma and Macrolides: Azithromycin Efficacy and Safety (AMAZES) study, the research will be studying the role of macrolide antibiotics in persistent asthma to reach a possible solution to treat inflammations characterised by the disease.

Asthma - Factors, Common Allergens, Diagnosis, Treatment, Support Groups, FAQs
It's a lung condition characterized by inflammation of the bronchi and constriction of the airways that result in coughing, wheezing or breathlessness. Allergy and other airway irritants can trigger it

"Current asthma medication is focused on treating a particular cell, called an eosinophil," said Professor Peter Gibson, a Conjoint Professor at the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Health respiratory specialist.

He added: "Increased levels of eosinophils are thought to be responsible for inflammation of the airways. However, almost half of people with asthma symptoms have normal levels of eosinophils and respond poorly to current asthma therapies.

"These people suffer from non-eosinophilic asthma, caused by the dysfunction of a primitive arm of the immune system called the innate immune system.

Allergy - Causes - Symptoms - Diagnosis - Treatment - FAQs - Videos
An allergy is a hypersensitive disorder of immune system. Substances that often cause allergic reactions are pollen, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, food, insect stings and medicines.

"We have previously used macrolide antiobiotics to successfully treat very severe non-eosinophilic patients, significantly reducing their asthmatic inflammation and improving their quality of life."

The AMAZES study will find out how effective macrolides are in general for people with asthma,

It will not only establish the best way to use the macrolides, but will also ensure that they are safe to use.

The AMAZES study will begin next year at five centres - Newcastle, Perth, Adelaide And two in Brisbane.

Asthma Management
Metered Dose Inhalers(MDI), which delivers medictions directly to the lungs, can be most effectively used in the treatment of asthma.

Source-ANI
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