(RxWiki News) Sleeping usually means the end of the day. For asthma patients, sleeping can mean improved asthma symptoms, thanks to a simple machine.
A new study shows that patients who have allergic asthma may be able to improve their symptoms overnight. By using a Temperature Controlled Laminar Airflow treatment (TLA) as they slept, patients inhaled less irritants that can trigger asthma symptoms or an attack. This new study can help patients ease their chronic asthma symptoms.
"Consult your doctor about asthmatic airflow treatments."
TLA provides cooler air around a patient's breathing air, replacing air that may be filled with dust mites, pet hairs and other irritants. By preventing the patient from breathing in all these irritants, patients reported better quality of life and a decrease in inflammation.
The study looked at 281 non-smoking individuals aged between seven and seventy who had poorly-controlled allergic asthma over the course of one year. Out of the 281, 189 were given the TLA machine Protexo to use above their beds while the rest were given a fake TLA device. Protexo users had a 15 percent increase in quality of life compared to non-Protexo users.
Signs of inflammation were also significantly reduced in Protexo users, most noticeably in allergic patients who needed the most medication but were not getting the proper care. There was also a decrease in signs of severe inflammation.
The study suggests that irritants inhaled at night affect asthma patients the most due to how the body's immune defensive response and hormone levels are affected by sleep. Using the TLA device helped eliminate those irritants, significantly improving the asthma patient's symptoms.
Future studies can focus on long-term effects of TLA devices on patients diagnosed with either allergic or non-allergic asthma. For now, allergic asthma patients may be able to breathe easier thanks to a simple device that works while they sleep.
The study was published in the November edition of Thorax.
