Eczema Voice Newsletter - August 2002
NES Specialist Phone Day 21st September 2002
Saturday 21st September
10am - 4pm
0870 241 3604
Lines will be staffed by dermatology specialists and provide an opportunity to discuss issues relating to eczema with specialists in the field. (Please note that diagnosis cannot be given and specific products cannot be recommended)
We are also asking anyone who could distribute the flyer e.g. to GP surgeries , local playgroups, libraries etc, to do so either by downloading the flyer from www.eczema.org or getting in touch with the NES and asking for a supply. National Eczema Society
Allergies “may cause panic attacks”
Study findings from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York suggest that people with allergies may face an increased risk of panic attacks. The study of more than 3,000 US adults conducted between 1995 and 1996 found that those who reported having hay fever were nearly twice as likely to say they had also experienced panic attacks. A possible explanation is that breathing difficulties associated with allergies may increase the risk of panic, according to the study reported in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. (Reuters 08/07/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
Antibiotics “in the clear”
The use of antibiotics in early childhood does not increase the risk of developing eczema, asthma or hay fever in under-fives, according to US research. Scientists at the Channing Laboratory in Boston, Massachusetts, say there is no significant association between early antibiotic use and the development of allergies, but they did find evidence of a link between antibiotic use and two or more episodes of wheezing in the first year of life. (Yahoo! News Online 05/07/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
Herbal remedy danger
UK researchers are concerned that some types of Chinese herbal medicines, including one used to treat eczema, may be associated with liver inflammation. Dr Margaret Bassendine of the Centre for Liver Research in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne says six patients have experienced inflammation after taking Dictamnus dasycarpus. Traditional Chinese herbal medicines are sold in Europe as food supplements and are not subject to the controls that apply to conventional medicines. Dr Bassendine says, “Physicians and the general public should remain alert to the possibility of adverse effects from all herbal remedies.” (Reuters Health Online 05/07/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
European approval for Elidel®
Atopic eczema treatment Elidel® (pimecrolimus) has achieved its first European approval, in Denmark. Manufacturer Novartis will seek approvals in other European countries during 2002, under the Mutual Recognition Procedure, and elsewhere around the globe. (AllAllergy.net Online 13/07/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
Trials confirm safety of tacrolimus
Data released at the 20th World Congress of Dermatology indicate that tacrolimus ointment monotherapy is a safe and effective non-steroidal topical treatment for children and adults with atopic dermatitis. The safety and efficacy of the product were evaluated at the University of California at San Francisco, with patients applying the ointment twice daily during episodes of atopic dermatitis, and for one week after the clearing of lesions. (AllAllergy.net Online 13/07/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
New money for skin unit
Derriford Hospital at Plymouth in Devon is to invest £336,000 from an allocation of new money by the NHS Modernisation Agency in major building works to improve conditions for patients and staff in the dermatology department. The work will help to shorten waiting times for eczema and psoriasis patients by increasing capacity for more nurse-led surgery and minor operations to be carried out in the facility. (Plymouth Evening Herald Online 17/07/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
South African tea may help with allergies
While the benefits of green tea have been extolled in recent years, it appears that in fact red tea is even better, and in particular may help in the management of allergies including eczema and asthma. Red tea, also known as Rooibos, is made from the leaves of a plant found in the mountains of South Africa. It is full of polyphenols and flavanoids, which are believed to help protect the body from free radicals. It also has anti-spasmodic properties that help relieve stomach and digestive problems. (The Green Bay News Chronicle Online 23/07/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
Antibiotics “do not cause eczema”
US researchers say there appears to be no link between the use of antibiotics in babies and the development of allergies later in childhood, despite previous evidence to the contrary. Scientists at the Channing Laboratory in Boston examined antibiotic use in babies aged under one year and the development of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema at the age of five. They found no significant connection, but say this does not mean antibiotics should be used unnecessarily in early childhood. (Reuters Health Online 02/08/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
Claim that water can cure eczema
A new brand of bottled water is to be launched in the UK this summer, which it is claimed can cure ailments ranging from eczema to oedema. “Penta” starts life as humble San Diego tap water before undergoing what the manufacturers call a “patent-pending physics process”. Penta Marketing Director David Cheatham says it is the only molecularly restructured water on the market. However, UK experts remain unmoved. Professor Bob Williams, from the Royal Society, said, “It’s high-grade waffle.” (The Daily Telegraph 03/08/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk