James Baker MD Holly Morrison FNP Elizabeth Smith, FNP
3975 SW Mercantile Dr. Ste 158 Lake Oswego, OR 97035
503 636-9011, Cell: 503 784-7452, jameswbaker@aadrc.com
September 2013
With the month of September well underway, the staff at Baker Allergy, Asthma and Dermatology Center have been preparing our patients for the upcoming school year with regard to asthma and allergy education. As fall is upon us, so is the cold and flu season. If you or your child has a diagnosis of asthma that is triggered by upper respiratory infections it is important to have the tools to detect increase in asthma symptoms (coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest retractions), along with the medications to treat those symptoms. An asthma action plan can be very helpful with treating patients who have asthma symptoms with upper respiratory infections by temporarily increasing or adding an extra asthma medication for a few weeks to prevent complications. Additional asthma triggers that are often seen with the fall and winter seasons are dust and mold allergies, and exercising in cold air. If you feel an asthma action plan would be beneficial for you or your child, please contact us at (503) 636-9011. You can find more information about environmental controls for allergies to dust and mold on our website, http://bakeraad.com/ or AAAAI.org.
Auvi-Q, A New Epinephrine Device
As children with food allergies are entering or returning to school this year, it is important to make sure they have an Epipen or Auvi-Q device to bring with them. There are now two epinephrine devices available for administration to treat anaphylaxis. The newest device, Auvi-Q offers the same medication as Epipen, but is smaller and shaped similar to a cell phone for convenient carrying. In addition, it offers step-by-step audio instructions on how to use the device should anaphylaxis occur. Our patients have found it to be user friendly and convenient. It comes in both child and adult strength. When picking up either the Epipen or Auvi-Q devices from your pharmacy, please make sure they do not expire until the end of the school year, to ensure you will not have to refill the prescription due to expiration of the device during the school year. Along with either the Epipen or Auvi-Q devices, patients with food allergies should also have a written anaphylaxis action plan available to provide guidance for treatment of food allergy reactions. We are happy to discuss the Auvi-Q with you and review your food allergy action plan as needed. For more information on Auvi-Q, please refer to http://www.auvi-q.com/. For more information on Epipen, please refer to http://www.epipen.com/.
Cat Allergy Study
Allergy to cat dander is one of the most common forms of allergic rhinitis. In the United States alone, over 26 million people suffer from cat allergies1. Those with a cat allergy who live with cats may experience many unpleasant symptoms, such as itching, sneezing, nasal congestion, and watery eyes. One of the most effective forms of treatment for cat allergies is specific immunotherapy. Specific immunotherapy for cat allergies provides a long term benefit by boosting the immune system against cat specific proteins.
One of the largest downsides of immunotherapy is the potential risk of allergic reaction or anaphylaxis. The Baker Research Center is participating in a study that looks to overcome this risk by using an alternate formula for immunotherapy. This new study drug improves upon traditional immunotherapy by using molecules significantly smaller than those found in regular immunotherapy. Essentially, they are little fragments of the normal allergen. These fragments, called peptides, are too small to contain multiple allergy antibody binding sites. Thus, only a single allergy antibody can bind them. This prevents cross-bridging, which may lead to anaphylaxis. Since they can still be bound by an allergy antibody but not cross-bridged, the peptides boost the immune system without large risk of an adverse reaction.
The goal of the cat allergy study is to prove that use of the new investigational immunotherapy drug helps safely reduce symptoms of cat allergy and reduces dependence on allergy medication. The study lasts for approximately one year. During this time, study subjects will receive 8 doses of study drug, placebo, or both. Study subjects will record their symptoms and medication use for a few weeks during the year, and the results will be compared between placebo and non-placebo groups. In order to qualify for the study, patients must be 12-65 years of age, experience symptoms when exposed to cats, live with a cat that is indoors for more than 8 hours each day, and not have any severe asthma, food allergies, or dust and mold allergies.
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about this study, please contact our research department at 503 534-2622.
1. World Allergy Organization. The global epidemiology of allergy. White Book on Allergy, 2011.
