October 19, 2000 Research Update

James Bogash, D.C. Mesa, AZ
info@lifecarechiropractic.com
www.lifecarechiropractic.com

Early Respiratory Infections Increase Childhood Asthma Risk

This article is contradictory to previous studies that suggest that early infections are needed for a child's immune system to properly develop. I firmly believe that childhood infections, if left to their natural course, will help that child's immune system develop. I believe that antibiotics interfere with this natural course. Ponder this...studies have shown that early antibiotic use has been linked to asthma. It is possible that the children in this study actually received antibiotics for their infections. Maybe it was antibiotic use, and NOT the infection itself, that increased the risk of asthma.

Pediatrics 2000;106:e38 Respiratory infections early in life appear to increase the risk of having asthma at 4 years of age. The researchers examined data from 2531 children who had been followed from birth to the age of 4 years. The team found that children who had experienced respiratory infections in their first year were at higher risk of bronchial obstruction at the age of 2 and of asthma at the age of 4 years. After adjusting for confounders, lower respiratory tract infection during the first year of life yielded an odds ratio of 3.4 for asthma. Otitis media during this period was associated with an asthma odds ratio of 1.8 and croup carried an asthma odds ratio of 2.1. Having a common cold during the first 6 months of life doubled the risk of asthma at the age of 4.

Viral Persistence High in Asthmatic Children

This study shows a high percentage of asthmatic children have evidence of viral presence in their respiratory tracts compared to normal children. Might this be further rationale for maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle that keeps immune fuction at optimal levels?

J Infect 2000;41:69-72 Evidence of viral presence appears rare in the upper airways of healthy controls, but may be found in almost 80% of children with stable asthma. Use of polymerase chain reaction testing showed that 78.4% of asthmatics were positive for adenovirus DNA, 32.4% for rhinovirus RNA and 2.7% for coronavirus RNA. In contrast, only one control sample was positive for adenovirus DNA. The remainder were negative. "The persistent presence of viruses in the upper respiratory tract of asthmatic children," the researchers conclude, "shows a possible connection between viral infections and asthma."

Lawsuits Allege Conspiracy in Ritalin Use

There is no question that our children are overmedicated, but this lawsuit raises some very important questions as to the "creation" of a new behavioral disorder.

(article) Novartis AG is denying allegations that the company conspired with the American Psychiatric Association to create the disease known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in order to fuel the market for its product Ritalin. The charges against the Swiss drugmaker were leveled in class action lawsuits filed in California and New Jersey on Wednesday. The complaint alleges that Ciba-Geigy Corp., now part of Novartis, colluded with the American Psychiatric Association to create and promote the diagnoses of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and ADHD in an effort to boost Ritalin sales. As a result, it says, ADD was first listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980, while ADHD was recognized in 1987.

UK Mulls Restricting Ritalin Use

I truly believe that the long term use of psychoactive drugs that have not been properly tested in children is one of the scariest aspects of health in the US today. Not only do we not know the long term side effects, but we are teaching our children that it is okay to take a pharmaceutical drug for the rest of your life.

(article) Britain's National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) is set to release strict guidelines for the use of the hyperactivity drug methylphenidate (Ritalin), following growing concerns by some doctors and the public that it causes depression and lethargy in children and is over-prescribed. The drug could be banned for children younger than 5, according to media speculation. According to a NICE spokesperson, "Ritalin is under appraisal now for best practice national guidelines. Right now, Ritalin has had no universal prescriptive guidelines throughout Britain," the spokesperson told Reuters Health. "Some doctors are currently prescribing it for very young children while others will only give it to children over 5." According to a 1998 National Health Service Executive Report by Dr. Anna Gilmore, Ritalin seems only effective in children for a period of 6 months. After this duration, she reported, the benefits of the drug are uncertain. The NICE reevaluation coincides with legal action against Novartis in the US, where some parents are suing the pharmaceutical company for failure to warn them of Ritalin's possible adverse impacts on the nervous system.

Lead Content of Calcium Supplements

The quality of supplements vary widely, and much evidence suggests that heavy metal contamination is a major issue in some calcium, shark cartilage and "liquid minerals" drinks. When it comes to supplements, cheaper is not always better. Lead Content of Calcium Supplements

Probiotics May Improve Health and Fight Disease in Children

It's amazing to find a review article like this in a major medical journal. The value of probiotics has been known for literally decades, and the research supporting their use continues to accumulate. Unfortunately, most physician are completely unaware that probiotics exists, let alone be a powerful weapon in healthcare. A Bit of Culture for Children: Probiotics May Improve Health and Fight Disease http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v284n11/ffull/jmn0920-1.html

OTC Drugs Can Be Harmful to the Unborn Child

Pregnancy and lactation should be pristine times for a woman, leaving her body free of OTC drugs, prescription drugs, artificial preservatives and colorings. Throughout this period of development the fetus and infant are extremely suseptable to injuries from foreign chemicals which may permantly impair their health. Better safe than sorry...avoid ALL chemicals unless absolutely necessary.

Drug & Ther Perspect 16(3):12-1, 2000 As a general rule all drugs should be avoided during pregnancy. The risk of fetal toxicity far exceeds that of the mother because its undeveloped system is unable to efficiently eliminate drugs. Thus, the presumption of safety for the mother can not be applied to the fetus. There is a lack of data on the effects of OTC medication on fetal development and this, along with advertising by the pharmaceutical industry, may account for the increasing use of OTC medication during pregnancy. It has been estimated that about 50% of products taken during pregnancy are OTC medications. Maternal characteristics associated with increased OTC medication use during pregnancy include Caucasian race, smoking >20 cigarettes/day and consumption of alcohol. A number of currently available OTC products are associated with adverse fetal effects if taken during pregnancy. The effects of some OTC drugs on fetal outcome have not been established but these agents may have the potential to adversely affect the fetus (e.g. loperamide, cimetidine, imidazolines for nasal use). Loperamide, when administered to infants, produced paralytic ileus and drowsiness in 20% of recipients. Similarly, the potential for adverse fetal effects has been shown by cimetidine; there is substantial uptake of cimetidine by the fetus, it inhibits microsomal enzymes and it has been reported to produce fetal liver toxicity when used in late pregnancy. Although there is a lack of clinical data regarding the use of imidazolines for nasal decongestion during pregnancy, the potential for adverse fetal effects exists with these agents as they are vasoconstrictors. In addition to the active drug, OTC products contain inactive substances (excipients) such as dyes, sweeteners, flavouring or preservatives. These agents can initiate their own effects or potentiate the effects of the active drug. Excipients have been shown to produce adverse effects such as skin disorders, gastrointestinal problems and cardiovascular abnormalities in adults. Thus, the more vulnerable fetus may also be affected by these ingredients of OTC products.

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