Editorial Team
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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : May 2, 2014 7:14 PM IST
People suffering from asthma may be more prone to bone loss as researchers have now discovered links between asthma and a decrease in bone mineral density. 'We know prolonged use of corticosteroids in the treatment of asthma is a risk factor of osteoporosis, but we have not had definite data showing the relationship between asthma itself and bone loss,' explained Jae-Woo Jung of Seoul National University Medical Research Centre in South Korea.
'This study has shown a meaningful association between the two conditions even in the absence of previous oral corticosteroid use,' Jung added. For the study, researchers examined more than 7,000 patients, 433 of which had airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) or asthma. (Read: 10 asthma triggers you should avoid)
Lumber spine and femur bone density was significantly lower in those with AHR or asthma, than those without the conditions, showed the findings of the research. 'Reasons can include corticosteroid use, low levels of vitamin D or even race,' said John Oppenheimer, an associate editor of the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology that published the study. (Read: Asthma megaguide causes, symptoms, diagnosis, prevention and complications)
What is asthma?
Asthma is a disease of the airways which makes breathing difficult. It is caused by inflammation of the air passages that make them narrow temporarily. Symptoms of narrowing airways include wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing. There can be several triggers or factors that can aggravate the symptoms of asthma. Common factors include dust, mites, pollen, smoke, pollution, weather changes, cold & cough and respiratory infections. Asthma can be broadly categorised into two categories specific and non-specific. Specific asthma is caused by breathing in allergens or irritants while non-specific asthma is caused by exercise, weather or genetic predisposition. The exact cause of asthma is not known but it is seen in families having a history of asthma. Some children get diagnosed with asthma but their symptoms may disappear in teenage years. This condition is called childhood asthma. For some people, asthma can be a chronic condition, where prolonged inflammation can cause permanent narrowing of airways. A severe onset of asthma symptoms of is called asthma attack. It may require hospitalisation and can often be life-threatening. Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be managed well with a number of treatment options aimed at relieving the symptoms and preventing the occurrence of severe asthma attacks. (Read: Asthma: All you need to know)
With inputs from IANS
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