By Jennifer Xu, MD and Jennifer Shih, MD
Current and future potential treatment options for allergic skin conditions. Over the last decade, our treatment options for allergic skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis and chronic urticaria have expanded significantly. The efficacy and safety of approved biologic therapies combined with our better understanding of disease pathophysiology have paved the way for the ... Continue Reading
By Mary Vess, RN; Codi Horton, MSN, CPNP; and Brian P. Vickery, MD
Food allergies are a poorly understood group of immune-mediated conditions that leave many of those affected susceptible to serious allergic reactions and the psychosocial burdens of living with a chronic, unpredictable, disruptive and life-threatening disorder. According to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), the leading patient advocacy organization, ... Continue Reading
By Stanley Fineman, MD
It is well known that pollen is the cause of allergic disease, including respiratory allergies, and is responsible for causing symptoms in 10-30% of the population. That’s why it’s important to understand pollen, why it is important for allergies, how it is counted and how climate change is impacting pollen counts. Medical historians credit John Bostock as the first ... Continue Reading
By Lily Hwang, MD
A treatment option review for allergic rhinitis and asthma “Ah-choo! Ah-choo!†Those are the sneezes shared across 50 million allergy sufferers in the United States annually, leading to a decrease in productivity and sleep as well as a poor quality of life.1 Among 26 million Americans with asthma, 60% have allergen triggers for their asthma. Many patients try ... Continue Reading
By Deidre Crocker, MD
In December 2020, with great fanfare, the FDA approved for emergency authorization two highly effective mRNA COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. These new vaccines would hold the key to finally controlling the global pandemic that has gripped us for over a year. Both mRNA vaccines have shown outstanding efficacy (94% for Pfizer and 95% for Moderna) in preventing ... Continue Reading
By Helen Kelley From itchy eyes, stuffy noses and sore throats to breathing problems, digestive issues and more severe symptoms, allergies affect the lives of millions of American every day. Atlanta Medicine recently spoke with three Atlanta area allergy specialists to learn more about which types of allergies affect people living in Georgia and the treatments available to ... Continue Reading
Children's asthma rates appear tied to ozone levels By LeRoy M Graham Jr., M.D. “Caution: Code Orange Smog Alert.†We see this too often during summer months in Atlanta, and it means that Atlanta's air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including all children and particularly those with heart and lung disease. When ozone reaches these levels, limiting outdoor ... Continue Reading
New studies point toward an earlier introduction to reduce risk By Kathleen A. Sheerin, M.D. Regardless of your specialty, there is breaking news you should be aware of: peanut allergy has become a nationwide problem affecting 1-3 percent of children. It is estimated that 1 in 50 school children have the diagnosis. Peanut allergy incidence has skyrocketed in the last ... Continue Reading
Interventional pulmonologists at Emory University Hospital are now offering Bronchial Thermoplasty, a new procedure that shrinks excessive airway smooth muscle (ASM) that lines the bronchial airways using controlled thermal heat. Removing some of the airway smooth muscle decreases the ability of the airways to constrict, leading to a reduction in the amount and severity of ... Continue Reading
