Friday, 28 September 2012

Brittle Asthma

Brittle asthma is a rare form of asthma, completely different from any other forms by recurrent, severe attacks. It is distinguished by a wide disparity of Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), in spite of strong steroid doses. Very often, patients suffer from serious and life threatening attacks. Generally, there are two types of brittle asthma. Type 1 brittle asthma is characterized by a maintained PEF variability despite therapy. Females, aged 15-55 are prone to this type of asthma.

Type 1 is linked to skin prick tests positivity and food bigotry. Advance research and studies have referred a association with personality disorders. High morbidity, frequent hospital admissions and regular assessment of asthmatic condition are some of the symptoms of type 1 patients. Such patients take a hefty amount of medications in the form of inhaled steroid and bronchodilator or oral steroids with severe side effects. As a result, they suffer from oseophageal reflux, osteoporosis and weight gain.

Brittle asthma of other type is related to extreme attacks that could severely worsen the condition of patients. It could lead to death or mechanical ventilation for breathlessness. The patients are well controlled for longer periods, but when they have an attack, they may require immediate hospital admission.

It’s very hard to treat brittle asthma. Patients suffering from this particular asthma have poor allegiance to the treatment and have to be constantly monitored. Since, normal guidelines for asthma are not applicable; patients have to depend on high intake of oral steroids. Type 1 brittle asthma treatment starts with reduced allergen exposure along with avoid foods for which the patients are intolerance.
The treatment of type 2 brittle asthma consist avoiding allergen exposure, identifying the triggers, self-management and treating the acute attacks adrenaline injections. There have been innovations in the treatment of brittle asthma such as leukotriene receptor antagonists and 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors, methotrexate.

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