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> March 3, 2000:
Hour Two: Asthma
It starts with a wheeze or a cough. There may be a feeling of shortness of breath, or a feeling of tightness in the chest. In some cases, it can become a struggle to breathe. It's asthma, a condition affecting over ten million people in the United States. And for reasons that doctors don't fully understand, the incidence of asthma seems to be on the rise.
During an asthma attack, the air passages of the lungs constrict from the outside and swell up on the inside, restricting the air flow. A layer of mucus can form in the lungs, cutting down on air flow still more. Scientists aren't sure exactly what causes asthma. In some people, exposure to allergens such as pollens, molds, dust, cockroaches, or dander from pets can produce a bout of wheezing. Other people may have asthma induced by exercise or changes in the weather.
In the past few years, the number of people being treated for asthma has increased dramatically, from 6.7 million cases in 1980 to 17.3 million cases in 1998. The rise in asthma cases appears to be particularly high in urban areas, causing some people to cite increased levels of environmental pollutants, such as particulate matter from diesel-burning engines, as a possible cause. Today, a worldwide meeting of scientists will begin to discuss the latest in asthma research. We'll get the latest.
One theory for the rise in asthma cases says that it isn't being caused by more pollutants -- it's caused by the world being too clean. According to the controversial theory, children raised without enough exposure to dirt, dust, and disease may not build up a resistance to some allergens -- causing problems later in life. We'll find out more about this theory, and take your comments and questions about asthma on this hour of Science Friday.
Guests:
Luz Claudio
Assistant Professor
Center for Children's Health and the Environment
Environmental and Occupational Medicine
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York, New York
Robert Mellins
Past President--American Lung Association
Pediatrician
Columbia University
New York, New York
John Stanford
Bacteriologist
University College
London, United Kingdom
Books/Articles Discussed: Related Links:
JAMA Asthma Information Center American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Online Lung Information for Health Care Professionals Asthma Clinical Research Network (ACRN) NIEHS Asthma Research: Home Page The Allergy and Asthma Network / Mothers of Asthmatics Web Site Asthma, Air Quality, and Environmental Justice: Asthma and Indoor Environments Contents - Working Together to Combat Urban Asthma
New Scientist Planet Science: Let them eat dirt
ZAP Asthma - Community outreach for Atlanta area
Asthma Coalition Exchange - many states
Arizona Asthma Coalition
Chicago Asthma Consortium
This segment produced by:
Annette Heist
Web producer:
Charles Bergquist |