Diseases

Asthma

“Asthma is chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells and cellular elements play a role. The chronic inflammation is associated with airway hyperresponsiveness that leads to recurrent episodes of wheezing breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing particularly at night or in the early morning. These episodes are usually associated with widespread, but variable airflow obstruction, within the lung that is often reversible either spontaneously or with treatment.” GINA, 2012.

Asthma is often caused by allergic inflammation, which is due to sensitization to indoor allergens (house dust mites, molds, animal dander, feathers), sometimes by pollens, food, medicines, irritants. Avoiding the allergen which causes the exacerbations and asthma attacks may alleviate or even heal the allergic inflammation and plays significant role in the treatment and prevention of this disease.

Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is clinically defined as a sypmptomatic disorder of the nose induced after allergen exposure by an IgE-mediated inflammation. Allergic Rhinitis is subdivided to IAR and SAR disease. The severity of Allergic Rhinitis can be subdivided to ‘mild’ or ‘moderate/severe’. Allergic Rhinitis impairs the quality of life, sleep, school and work. Many non-allergic triggers induce nasal symptoms which mimic allergic rhinitis. They include drugs (aspirine and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents), occupational agents, foods, physical, emotional and chemical factors and viral infections. ARIA 2008

Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis refers to an inflammation of the lungs caused by repeated breathing in of a foreign substance, such an organic dust, a fungus, or a mold. The body's immune system reacts to these substances, called antigens, by forming antibodies, molecules that attack the invading antigen and try to destroy it. The combination of antigen and antibody produces acute inflammation, or pneumonitis (a hypersensitivity reaction), which later can develop into chronic lung disease that impairs the lungs' ability to take oxygen from the air and eliminate carbon dioxide.

Atopic Dermatitis

“Atopic dermatitis: A skin disease characterized by areas of severe itching, redness, scaling, and loss of the surface of the skin. Atopic dermatitis is the most common of the many types of eczema. Atopic dermatitis is frequently associated with other allergic disorders, especially asthma and hay fever. A defect of the immune system within the skin has been detected in patients who have atopic dermatitis, but the reason for the defect is unknown.” MedicineNet.com

Contact Dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is the name for any skin inflammation that occurs when the skin's surface comes in contact with a substance originating outside the body. There are two kinds of contact dermatitis, irritant and allergic.

COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a preventable and treatable disease with some significant extrapulmonary effects.
The pulmonary component is characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. 
The airflow limitation in COPD is usually progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to noxious particles and gases
Severe COPD leads to respiratory failure, hospitalization and eventually death from suffocation.
Main risk factors: tobacco smoke, occupational pollution, indoor and outdoor allergens and irritants, respiratory infections, poor financial status.