Vol. 2, No. An unprecedented, and unexplained, explosion in asthma cases is suffocating the nation's poorest urban residents, especially children, The New York Times reported on Oct. 18. The number of asthma sufferers has more than doubled to an estimated 17.3 million in 1998 from 6.7 million in 1980, according to the report. But when public health officials measure rates of hospital admissions, emergency room visits and deaths, they find that black and Hispanic patients, particularly those who are poor, shoulder a much heavier burden, according to the report. According to study results reported in the November issue of Epidemiology, infants exposed to polluted air are at greater risk of dying from respiratory problems during the first year of life, Reuters reported on Oct. 18.
Air pollution is composed of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.
The investigators found that all three of these elements increased the risk of respiratory death among infants. A new study says that a diet rich in vitamin E foods such as nuts and whole grains can lower smokers' risk of lung cancer, USA Today reported on Oct. 20. A new study of 504 smokers, one of the first to directly compare common nicotine replacement products, has found little difference in effectiveness, The Washington Post reported on Oct. 12. Comparing nicotine gum, the patch, a new nasal spray and an inhaler that mimics the hand and mouth actions one uses to smoke, a team of British researchers led by Peter Hajek of the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry found no significant differences in abstinence, cravings or withdrawal symptoms among the study groups using the products. There were differences, however, in the ease of use and compliance rates, according to the report.