[Allergic disease--pollen allergy and climate change].

Pollen allergy currently affects a fifth of the population. A warmer climate will lead to a longer pollen season and more days with high pollen counts. In addition, a warmer climate increases the risk of proliferation of new plants with well-known allergenic pollens like ragweed, plane tree and wall pellitory, which have not previously caused allergy in Denmark.

Hypersensitivity to local anaesthetics--update and proposal of evaluation algorithm.

Local anaesthetics (LA) are widely used drugs. Adverse reactions are rare but may be caused by delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions and probably also immediate-type reactions. As it is not always easy to clinically differ between these subtypes, allergy skin testing should be considered.

Disease variability in asthma: how do the patients respond?--and why?

Background And Aim: Asthma is a variable disease, and therapy should be tailored accordingly. The aim of this study was to explore patterns of self-management in response to disease variability in adult asthmatics.

Methods: Adult asthmatics (n = 509), recruited through a web-based panel, answered a questionnaire concerning asthma knowledge, compliance, and treatment, including specified treatment options, through the Internet.

[The quality of asthma treatment in Denmark. How far are we--and how far are our patients?].

Introduction: Despite the availability of safe and effective therapies for asthma, many patients have sub-optimal asthma control.

Aim: To assess the current status with regard to the treatment and monitoring of adult asthmatics and to identify factors of importance for compliance with controller therapy.

Materials And Methods: Based on information from focus group interviews, we developed a questionnaire focusing on knowledge of asthma, compliance and therapy.

Treatment and evaluation of patients with acute exacerbation of asthma before and during a visit to the ER in Denmark.

Background: Acute exacerbation of asthma may be life-threatening and quite often results in a visit to the emergency room (ER) or admission to a hospital. The aim was to evaluate the treatment and the quality of clinical management of asthma exacerbations, and finally, to identify the factors leading to admission.

Material And Methods: In a retrospective design, we audited the hospital records of all patients aged 18-40 years admitted to five Danish university hospitals with an acute exacerbation of asthma in 2004.

Management of asthma in adults: do the patients get what they need--and want?

Suboptimal asthma control may be caused by a combination of factors, such as nonadherence to guidelines, lack of compliance, and poor asthma education. The aim was to assess patients' knowledge of asthma and different management strategies, including patients' attitudes toward involvement in treatment decisions. The participants (n=509) were recruited from all parts of Denmark through a web-based panel (Zapera Danmarkspanel).

[Allergology in Denmark 2006].

Allergic diseases are prominent, possibly life threatening, and a cause of worldwide concern. Evidence-based education of doctors in the specialty of allergology is a prerequisite for correct diagnosis and treatment of patients with allergic diseases. Recently, the specialty of allergology has been abolished in Denmark, without any upgrading of the education of doctors in related specialties.

The patient's perspective: adherence or non-adherence to asthma controller therapy?

Study Objective: Adherence with controller therapy poses a major challenge to the effective management of persistent asthma. The aim of this study was to explore the patient-related aspects of adherence among adult asthmatics.

Design And Participants: The participants (n = 509 adult asthmatics), recruited from all parts of Denmark, answered the questionnaire concerning asthma knowledge, attitudes, adherence, and treatment through the Internet.

Respiratory symptoms and nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux: a population-based study of young adults in three European countries.

Study Objective: To estimate the possible association between reported symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) after bedtime, sleep-disordered breathing, respiratory symptoms, and asthma.

Design: Cross-sectional international population survey.

Participants: Participants consisted of 2,661 subjects (age range, 20 to 48 years) from three countries (Iceland, Belgium, and Sweden), of whom 2,202 were randomly selected from the general population and 459 were added because of reported asthma.