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Sunday, 27 March 2005 10:43 | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk
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A team from the University of Southampton found a drug used to treat multiple sclerosis could help reduce asthma attacks caused by the common cold virus.
The team found the cold virus was able to replicate at much higher levels in the lung cells of asthma patients.
But this replication was largely blocked in the laboratory when the cells were exposed to a form of the Anti-MS Drug interferon-B.
Researcher Professor Donna Davies said: "The results suggest that inhaled interferon-B could be used in the treatment or prevention of rhinovirus-induced asthma attacks, thereby cutting the number of hospitalisations of asthma-sufferers during the cold season”.
Dr Richard Russell, a chest specialist at Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, and a spokesman for the British Lung Foundation, told the BBC News website more research was required as the current study had been carried out in the lab, and not in patients.
But he said: "This research is potentially very important.
"We know that viruses are the main cause of exacerbated asthma symptoms in this country, and anything which could prevent the damage that people suffer as a result of viral infections would be very helpful”.
Professor Martyn Partridge, of the charity Asthma UK, said: "All of the evidence does indeed suggest that many attacks of asthma are precipitated by viral infections.
"The current approach is therefore to teach those with asthma how to increase their asthma therapy to regain control of their condition.
"This latest work suggests that an approach directly on the virus may be feasible in the future but many detailed clinical studies will be needed first to confirm that this alternate strategy is effective”.
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