The management of asthma and rhinitis during pregnancy.

Asthma and rhinitis frequently complicate pregnancy. The course of asthma may be adversely altered by gestation, placing the mother and fetus at risk. Therefore, pregnant patients with persistent asthma require an aggressive asthma management plan that includes environmental control measures and the use of long-term controller medications.

Potential effects of fluticasone propionate on bone mineral density in patients with asthma: a 2-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of treatment with fluticasone propionate vs placebo on bone, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function, and the eyes in patients with asthma.

Patients And Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 160 patients with asthma who had minimal previous exposure to corticosteroids was conducted from July 1994 through June 1997. Patients received fluticasone at 88 microg twice daily, fluticasone at 440 microg twice daily, or placebo twice daily for 2 years.

Viral respiratory infections in association with asthma and sinusitis: a review.

Objective: Viral respiratory infections (VRIs) commonly precede asthma exacerbations in both children and adults. Likewise, VRIs may affect the paranasal sinuses, predisposing infected individuals to the development of subsequent acute bacterial sinusitis. This article discusses the role that viruses play in both the development of asthma and in acute asthma exacerbations.