Asthma in Inner-City Children

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has recently renewed a contract to study asthma in inner-city children. This study is being done by the Inner-City Asthma Consortium. Their goal is to examine new possible treatments for asthma as well as why there is an increased incidence in children and adolescents that live within inner-city limits. There are an estimated 20 million Americans that have asthma but children are more affected than adults. Investigators will conduct trials which will evaluate the effectiveness of certain asthma therapies. These studies will be done with an emphasis on trying to discover which agents worsen asthma. Starting in 2005, 500 children are monitored until they are 7 years old to see if they develop asthma or asthma that worsens over time. The incidence and severity of asthma increased with certain triggers like cockroaches, rodents, and second-hand smoke. Reducing exposure to these agents reduced the risk of developing asthma. Treatment includes taking proper medication, giving patient education on the disease, and participating in regular check-ups. Asthma can be controlled following these guidelines plus reducing exposure to environmental factors.