Jewish World Review Nov. 30, 2001 / 15 Kislev, 5762
By Robert A. Wascher, M.D., F.A.C.S.
http://www.jewishworldreview.com --
Asthma, a disease that results in potentially life-threatening constriction
of the bronchial airways, appears to be increasing in frequency. According
to the Centers for Disease Control, the death rate due to asthma has
approximately doubled over the past 20 years. African American children, in
particular, appear to be increasingly susceptible to this mysterious
ailment.
The exact cause (or causes) of asthma are not yet well understood.
However, exposure to air and indoor pollutants, dust mites, pollen,
cigarette smoke and other toxins have all been implicated. The
predisposition to asthma may also have a genetic basis, as the disease often
occurs in multiple family members. Most curious is the association between
asthma and low socioeconomic/educational status, though this correlation is
thought by some to be an indirect reflection of a greater risk of exposure
to environmental toxins.
The use of a vaccine containing inactivated influenza virus to reduce the
risk of developing the flu is well established in most developed countries.
However, there has been a general reluctance to immunize children and adults
with asthma, for fear of precipitating an asthma attack. The New England
Journal of Medicine recently reported on a study involving 2032 pediatric
and adult patients with asthma. Study volunteers were treated with either
the flu vaccine or a placebo (an injection not containing vaccine or other
medically active ingredients).
All volunteers were subsequently
"crossed-over," and received the opposite treatment. The study participants
were closely followed for any evidence of worsening asthma symptoms. The
study found no apparent increase in asthma symptoms among those volunteers
who received the flu vaccine as compared to those receiving the placebo
injections. The authors concluded that the flu vaccine is safe for
administration to patients with asthma. In view of the much greater
likelihood of an actual case of influenza causing an asthma attack, this
study provides valuable reassurance regarding the safety of the flu vaccine
for asthmatics.
LOW-TAR CIGARETTES ARE NOT LESS HARMFUL
Although the levels of tar and nicotine emitted by
these cigarettes appears to be reduced when tested by automatic "smoking
machines," human behavior appears to nullify this potential advantage. Such
cigarettes often employ air vents in the filter section in order to allow a
stream of fresh air to dilute the toxic components of cigarette smoke.
However, many smokers block these vents with their lips or their fingers.
Perhaps more importantly, smokers who switch to these "healthier" cigarettes
compensate for their reduced nicotine levels by inhaling more deeply, more
rapidly and more frequently, as well as by smoking more cigarettes per day.
Once the body becomes addicted to nicotine (which occurs very rapidly),
human behavior is altered to ensure that the level of nicotine in the blood
remains constant. Despite cheery advertisements associating "light,"
"ultralight," and "low-tar" cigarettes with a healthy, athletic or
adventurous lifestyle, the bottom line is that these products account for
nearly 500,000 completely preventable deaths each year in the United States,
as well as an estimated 50,000 deaths among nonsmokers who regularly inhale
secondhand smoke. At the present time, there are no "healthy cigarettes."
BEANS AND YOUR HEART
Possible explanations for this phenomenon include
the high dietary fiber content of beans and the increased soybean content in
the diet of people who eat large amounts of legumes. Both factors are known
to reduce blood cholesterol levels and may, in part at least, explain the
beneficial effects of a legume-rich diet. Once again, Mom appears to have
been right on target when she told you to eat your
JWR contributor Dr. Robert A. Wascher is a senior research fellow in molecular & surgical oncology at
the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, CA.
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Flu vaccination in asthmatics
The National Cancer Institute has released a summary of findings regarding
the health impact of switching to "low-tar" or "light" cigarette brands.
Among the estimated 47 million Americans who smoke, surveys have shown that
those interested in quitting often switch to brands labeled "light" or
"ultralight," in the mistaken belief that they are reducing the health risks
associated with smoking.
This week's Archives of Internal Medicine reports on an interesting study
that looks at the effects of beans in the diet on the risk of heart disease.
Nearly 1000 study volunteers were asked to chart their consumption of
legumes, and were followed for an average of 19 years. The study found that
the consumption of legumes 4 or more times per week, compared with less than
once a week, was associated with a 22% reduction in the risk of developing
coronary artery disease.
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