ACHOO ... It's almost that time again!

By Tamela Thomas, Wellness Manager

Does your throat ever itch so badly that you want to find some way to scratch it? Does a mid-summer walk at Marymoor Park require a box full of tissue? Are the whites of your eyes actually a lovely hue of pinkish red for the better part of the year? Are you expecting parents and want to do everything you can to minimize your baby's chances of having allergies? If so, this article will be of interest to you.

Dr. Michael Kennedy is our guest columnist this month. After five years as Head of Clinical Pharmacology at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Dr. Kennedy went on to complete a fellowship in allergy and immunology at the University of Washington. Currently, he is a Partner with Northwest Asthma and Allergy Center and ASTHMA, Inc., Clinical Research Center in Seattle.

Understanding Allergies

By Michael Kennedy, MD

Why do we have allergies? Why do we wheeze, sneeze and itch? As telltale characteristics of atopic disorders, what possible protective effect do these responses to our environment have?

Allergies have only been reported in the last 150 years. Is it due to the increase in air pollution—more ozone, diesel exhaust fumes and general disruption of the normal flora and fauna in our country? Is it because we have cleaner, tighter homes that are not ventilated quite as well because we are trying to conserve energy? Or is it because we use many more "artificial" chemicals to clean and disinfect our homes and workplaces? And what role do those creatures that we really cannot see—the dust mites—play? These are questions that have not been answered but we know several of these factors probably play a role in the increasing frequency of allergic diseases. And the frequency is worrisome because we now see that it's not only affecting quality of life but life itself—The death rate for asthma has been increasing over the past 3 decades in spite of an increase in potent medications to control the condition.

Where does it begin? Because of the genetic association of allergic disorders, children born of parents with hay fever or asthma have a higher chance of developing the condition themselves. If both parents have allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, children have approximately 60% chance of also being allergic.

In families where there is allergy, parents can do some things to reduce the chances that their children will develop allergies. It is believed that allergies get their start during in-utero exposure. Mothers who avoid pet exposure and peanuts will have children that will have less likelihood of developing early allergic reactions to these things. Once children are born of allergic parents, the earliest manifestations are usually atopic dermatitis, or eczema. This may be worsened by certain foods. This condition will often become relatively mild and sometimes disappear completely by the time a child is 4 or 5 years old. Unfortunately, the child may then develop allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Avoidance measures to prevent allergic reactivity can be guided most effectively and with greater confidence if testing is performed to determine what substances or airborne particles a person is allergic to. The most sensitive and quickest way to determine one's allergies is by skin testing. Blood testing that measures the immunoglobulin-E to different substances can also be performed. This is called a RAST or CAPRAST test. It is not quite as sensitive and it is more expensive, and takes more time to get the result.

When allergens are identified, the first step an allergist will help with is to learn how to avoid the offending agents. In the case of foods, using the resources of such nonprofit agencies as the Food Allergy Network can facilitate this. If the problem is an inhalant allergen, such as pollen, a pet or a mold, there are a variety of techniques that can be used to reduce exposure to these allergens.

A number of new, exciting medicines are to be introduced soon. These new compounds are the fruits of the biotechnology boom that had a start here in Seattle. Perhaps they will help us tolerate the state we have gotten ourselves into. Obviously there is too much information on allergies to go into here. If you would like to learn more about allergies and how to live with them, please join me as I present "Children With Allergies & Asthma" at the Club. Call 206.464.3073 to attend.