The latest edition of the Asthma Australia Handbook 2.2 has been released.

First published in 1990, initially as the Asthma Management Plan and then as the Asthma Management Handbook, the Handbook was one of the first Australian guidelines addressing the diagnosis and management of a chronic condition. Throughout its eight editions, the Handbook has set the standard for best-practice asthma management in Australia by being comprehensive and user-friendly, and emphasising a team approach to asthma care.

Current version 2.2 was published in April 2022.

Click here to visit the Asthma Australia 2.2 Portal

The ABC (23 May 21) reported links between home gas appliances and Asthma.
The article sites a recent report from Dr Charlesworth of the Climate council citing impacts of gas appliances in the household on asthma. The supporting studies are indicative of, although not in the headline magnitude of the link between Gas use in the home and Asthma/wheeze.

Click here for Climate council report. The reports cites Knibbs 2018 whose findings were that “If all homes with gas stoves were fitted with high efficiency range hoods to vent gas combustion products outdoors, the PAF and burden estimates were reduced to 3.4% from 12.3%,(95% CI, 2.2–4.6%) and 761 DALYs (95% CI, 322–1199).”

Lin et al, 2013 Meta study notes ““Our meta-analyses suggest that children living in a home with gas cooking have a 42% increased risk of having current asthma, a 24% increased risk of lifetime asthma and an overall 32% increased risk of having current and lifetime asthma;” but also “although the effects of gas cooking and indoor NO2 on asthma and wheeze were found to be relatively small (all random-effects meta-odds ratios were less than 1.5) the public health impact may still be considerable because gas cooking is widespread.”

This follows a 2020 The Conversation discussion of the same, which ended with Knibbs note on ways to reduce impacts - “Increasing evidence suggests cooking with gas may make asthma worse in children. However, proper use of range hoods could reduce that risk.”

A 2003 study (Eisner,Blank) - did have a contrary finding - “"Among adults with asthma, there was no apparent impact of gas stove use on pulmonary function or respiratory symptoms. These results should be reassuring to adults with asthma and their health care providers”

Click here for the abstract in the BMJ.

“Markers of Cardiovascular Disease among Adults Exposed to Smoke from the Hazelwood Coal Mine Fire” follows research investigating impact of 6 weeks exposure to the 2014 Hazelwood fires on local populations 4 years later. Click Here

Published on the 8th February, the study reports as part of the 10year study on long term effects.

We look forward to Prof. Michael Abramson’s update at our next Asthma Educators Seminar.

The IJERPH (International Journal of Environment Research and Public Health are issuing a special issue showcasing three papers on the impacts of mine and bush fires on populations.

Click here more more details

A recent study has been published in the MJA regarding potential long term impacts of Asthma prescriptions.

The study, led by University of Queensland Professor John Upham, found that while there is significant benefit in the short term from the treatment, the long-term effects may outweigh any benefit gained.

Reported in the The AGE - "Doctors used to think that if you just have a short course of these tablets for a few days it didn’t really matter and you would only suffer side-effects if you took them day after day for a long period," Professor Upham said.

Click here for study details

Click here for The Age article.

The latest edition of the Asthma Australia Handbook 2.1 has been released.

First published in 1990, initially as the Asthma Management Plan and then as the Asthma Management Handbook, the Handbook was one of the first Australian guidelines addressing the diagnosis and management of a chronic condition. Throughout its eight editions, the Handbook has set the standard for best-practice asthma management in Australia by being comprehensive and user-friendly, and emphasising a team approach to asthma care.

This edition continues the new name – the Australian Asthma Handbook – and the same commitment to practical advice for primary care health professionals. Current version 2.1 was published in September 2020. Version 2.0 was published in March 2019. Version 1.0 was published in March 2014, with minor updates published as version 1.1 (April 2015), version 1.2 (October 2016), and version 1.3 (December 2017).

Click here to visit the Asthma Australia 2.1 Portal

A recent study has been published in the MDPI discussion of prescription efficiay of asthma drugs to preschoolers.

The UNSW study assessed patterns of asthma FDC controller medicines dispensed to Australian children and adolescents, aged one to 18 years, between January 2013 and December 2018. A representative 10% sample of PBS dispensing data was used.

However, 88% of the FDC inhalers dispensed to children and adolescents were prescribed as first-line therapy, which is not recommended.

Clare Watson in the Medical Republic quotes “Clearly, there’s work to be done in addressing the inappropriate prescribing that is still occurring in children under five,” said Professor Adam Jaffe, a respiratory paediatrician at UNSW Medicine, member of the National Asthma Council Australia Guidelines Committee and co-author on the study.

Click here for study details

Click here for The Medical Republic article.

Version 2.0 of the Asthma Handbook was launched March 2019.

It is a major update to version 1.0 published in 2014.

For more information visit: National Asthma Council Australia