Plant species vary under different climatic conditions and the distribution of pollen in the air. Trends in pollen distribution can be used to assess the impact of climate change on public health. In ...2015, the Mobile Airways Sentinel networK for rhinitis and asthma (MASK-air®) was launched as a project of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP-on-AHA, DG Santé and DG CONNECT). This project aimed to develop a warning system to inform patients about the onset of the pollen season, namely, the System for Integrated modeLling of Atmospheric coMposition (SILAM). A global-to-meso-scale dispersion model was developed by the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI). It provides quantitative information on atmospheric pollution of anthropogenic and natural origins, particularly on allergenic pollens. Impact of Air Pollution on Asthma and Rhinitis (POLLAR, EIT Health) has combined MASK-air clinical data with SILAM forecasts. A new Horizon Europe grant (Climate Action to Advance HeaLthY Societies in Europe CATALYSE; grant agreement number 101057131), which came into force in September 2022, aims to improve our understanding of climate change and help us find ways to counteractit. One objective of this project is to develop early warning systems and predictive models to improve the effectiveness of strategies for adapting to climate change. One of the warning systems is focused on allergic rhinitis (CATALYSE Task 3.2), with a collaboration between the FMI (Finland), Porto University (Portugal), MASK-air SAS (France), ISGlobal (Spain), Hertie School (Germany), and the University of Zurich (Switzerland). It is to be implemented with the support of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. This paper reports the planning of CATALYSE Task 3.2.
Prenatal and peri-natal events play a fundamental role in health, development of diseases and ageing (Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD)). Research on the determinants of active and ...healthy ageing is a priority to: (i) inform strategies for reducing societal and individual costs of an ageing population and (ii) develop effective novel prevention strategies. It is important to compare the trajectories of respiratory diseases with those of other chronic diseases.
Background
Over 1 billion people suffer from chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, rhinitis and rhinosinusitis. They cause an enormous burden and are considered as major non‐communicable ...diseases. Many patients are still uncontrolled and the cost of inaction is unacceptable. A meeting was held in Vilnius, Lithuania (March 23, 2018) under the patronage of the Ministry of Health and several scientific societies to propose multisectoral care pathways embedding guided self‐management, mHealth and air pollution in selected chronic respiratory diseases (rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, asthma and COPD). The meeting resulted in the Vilnius Declaration that was developed by the participants of the EU Summit on chronic respiratory diseases under the leadership of Euforea.
Conclusion
The Vilnius Declaration represents an important step for the fight against air pollution in chronic respiratory diseases globally and has a clear strategic relevance with regard to the EU Health Strategy as it will bring added value to the existing public health knowledge.
Allergic rhinitis is the most common chronic disease worldwide. Treatment guidelines have improved the knowledge on rhinitis and have had a significant impact on AR management. In 20 years, ARIA has ...considerably evolved from the first multi-morbidity guideline in respiratory diseases to the digital transformation of health and care. Allergic rhinitis in Georgia, Next-generation ARIA-GRADE guidelines and ARIA, 2020 care pathways for Allergen Immunotherapy have been discussed in this review.
Abstract To face the challenge of active and healthy ageing (AHA), European Health Systems and services should move towards proactive, anticipatory and integrated care. Health care systems thus need ...to personalize services, put patients at the centre of care and provide services using the adequate resources. Population health risk management is emphasized through the use of tools to stratify people with chronic diseases according to their risk. Effective screening of frailty is vital for optimizing the care of frail populations at risk. The Activation of Stratification Strategies and Results of the interventions on frail patients of Healthcare Services (ASSEHS) EU project (N° 2013 12 04) is an international effort whose aim is to bring together stratification-related professionals from Health Services, Academia and Research in the EU in order to (i) study current existing health risk stratification strategies and tools, (ii) spread their use and application on frail elderly patients, (iii) minimize deterioration of conditions and/or (iv) prevent emergency or hospital admissions. The analysis of Risk Stratification in different Health Systems will generate conclusions and risk stratification solutions, which will be transferable to a variety of regions in the future. ASSEHS is in line with Area 4 of the B3 Action Plan of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA).
Summary
Background
Allergic rhinitis (AR) management has changed in recent years following the switch from the concept of disease severity to the concept of disease control, publication of the AR ...clinical decision support system (CDSS) and development of mobile health (m‐health) tools for patients (eg Allergy Diary). The Allergy Diary Companion app for healthcare providers is currently being developed and will be launched in 2018. It incorporates the AR CDSS to provide evidence‐based treatment recommendations, linking all key stakeholders in AR management.
Objective
To produce an electronic version of the AR CDSS (e‐CDSS) for incorporation into the Allergy Diary Companion, to describe the app interfaces used to collect information necessary to inform the e‐CDSS and to summarize some key features of the Allergy Diary Companion.
Methods
The steps involved in producing the e‐CDSS and incorporating it into the Allergy Diary Companion were (a) generation of treatment management scenarios; (b) expert consensus on treatment recommendations; (c) generation of electronic decisional algorithms to describe all AR CDSS scenarios; (d) digitization of these algorithms to form the e‐CDSS; and (e) embedding the e‐CDSS into the app to permit easy user e‐CDSS interfacing.
Results
Key experts in the AR field agreed on the AR CDSS approach to AR management and on specific treatment recommendations provided by Allergy Diary Companion. Based on this consensus, decision processes were developed and programmed into the Allergy Diary Companion using Titanium Appcelerator (JavaScript) for IOS tablets. To our knowledge, this is the first time the development of any m‐health tool has been described in this transparent and detailed way, providing confidence, not only in the app, but also in the provided management recommendations.
Conclusion
The Allergy Diary Companion for providers provides guideline and expert‐endorsed AR management recommendations. MASK paper No 32.
COVID-19 is described in a clinical case involving a patient who proposed the hypothesis that Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2)-interacting nutrients may help to prevent severe ...COVID-19 symptoms. Capsules of broccoli seeds containing glucoraphanin were being taken before the onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection and were continued daily for over a month after the first COVID-19 symptoms. They were found to reduce many of the symptoms rapidly and for a duration of 6–12 h by repeated dosing. When the patient was stable but still suffering from cough and nasal obstruction when not taking the broccoli capsules, a double-blind induced cough challenge confirmed the speed of onset of the capsules (less than 10 min). A second clinical case with lower broccoli doses carried out during the cytokine storm confirmed the clinical benefits already observed. A third clinical case showed similar effects at the onset of symptoms. In the first clinical trial, we used a dose of under 600 μmol per day of glucoraphanin. However, such a high dose may induce pharmacologic effects that require careful examination before the performance of any study. It is likely that the fast onset of action is mediated through the TRPA1 channel. These experimental clinical cases represent a proof-of-concept confirming the hypothesis that Nrf2-interacting nutrients are effective in COVID-19. However, this cannot be used in practice before the availability of further safety data, and confirmation is necessary through proper trials on efficacy and safety.
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