New treatment for patients with allergic asthma – effective and without side effects
The quality of life of seriously ill patients with allergic asthma can improve dramatically with a new treatment of ultra-clean air. The patients’ allergy is decreased, inflammation reduced and their quality of life increased. This has been proven in a study, published in the British medical journal Thorax . The study shows that 75% of the patients on active treatment had a clinically relevant improvement in quality of life. The treatment is based on a Swedish patent, and results in patients getting their nightly sleep in an environment with extremely clean air. This gives patients continuous periods without allergen exposure and the chance to recover at night. This is also reflected in positive effects during the day.
Patients
The treatment with Protexo has proven to have very good effects on patients with perennial allergy, meaning all year-round allergy, such as, for example, pet and dust mite allergy.
“Those who were most allergic and had least asthma control before the study responded best on the treatment, although we saw significant improvements in all severities of asthma”, says Leif Bjermer, Professor of Pulmonary Medicine and Allergy Diseases at Skåne University Hospital in Lund, Sweden, who participated in the research group which carried out the study.
Treatment
Patients with severe asthma symptoms often have disturbed sleep because of breathing problems. Protexo is an air purifying device that is used in the patient’s bedroom. The filtered air from the Protexo descends slowly over the patients head and face. The clean air is slightly colder than the ambient air in the room, allowing it to fall down and displace the unclean air. The filtered air reaching the face is almost completely free of particles and creates an allergen-free breathing zone. “This is a method that works where no medication is effective“ says Leif Bjermer.”Clean air is also free from side effects. “
Requirements
Professor Bjermer estimates that approximately 5% of his patients with allergic asthma would need to complement their medical treatment with Protexo. Airsonett estimates and expects the need in Sweden to about 5 000 patients. “I hope, above all, that the study which proves the value of the treatment with Protexo for the most severe and uncontrolled asthma patients will result in that more patients get access to our clean air technology, said Peter Ekolind, CEO at Airsonett AB.
Study
282 patients, children and adults, participated in this European multi-center study. The study was conducted at 19 study centers in six countries, from Munich in the south to Trondheim in the north. In Sweden, eight hospitals participated. Some of those where Lund University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Linköping University Hospital and Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg. The study shows that 75% of the patients on active treatment had a clinically relevant improvement in quality of life.
Find the published study on:
http://thorax.bmj.com/site/misc/thoraxjnl-2011-200665.pdf