Allergy and asthma patients can now breathe easy. Literally. A new vaccine called grass pollen vaccine has been shown to be effective in improving the quality of life and has also reduced medication requirements in these patients. These and other findings of this study are reported in the latest issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Samantha M. Walker, PhD, of the Imperial College School of Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute in London, and colleagues in the United Kingdom and Italy observed that the vaccine when given weekly for four weeks and later monthly for two years dramatically reduced the breathlessness and medication requirements of these long suffering hapless patients.These researchers studied two groups of patients. One was the immunotherapy group who received the injections the other group was the placebo group which received placebo injection whenever the other group received the vaccine. When compared after the two-year period the difference was startling.
While the symptoms came down by 49% in the group, which received the grass pollen vaccine, the medication requirements came down by 80% and the asthmatic chest symptoms like coughing and breathing difficulties came down by 90%.
For patients who have been suffering chronically with no clear-cut cure in sight this study has opened a lot of new options to get on with life. By helping in reducing both symptoms and the treatment aspects this wonder vaccine has come to stay as the, “ in thing” for asthmatics. Lets breathe easy!!!
