Why asthma rates increase? 8

Environmental toxins, clean lifestyle, and changes in gut bacteria increase risk for asthma. Autoimmune disease increased in the last 50 years. Top expert in asthma and Precision Medicine explains why asthma rates increased. Hygiene hypothesis.

Rate of asthma increased 50 fold over last 50 years. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. Genetic risk of asthma in Hispanics is higher. Environmental pollution is one cause of asthma risk increase. Dr. Esteban G. Gonzalez, MD. Hygiene hypothesis also explains why asthma rates increase as lifestyle becomes more clean. Immune system attacks own body as number of dirt and microbes decreases. Why asthma rates increase? Diet becomes worse, more artificial colorings and processed food ingredients today. Video interview with top expert in medical genetics and asthma. Medical second opinion confirms that asthma diagnosis is correct and complete. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. Medical second opinion ensures that genetic DNA ancestry information is included in diagnosis of asthma and autoimmune disease. Medical second opinion also helps to choose the best personalized treatment strategy for asthma and autoimmune disease. Seek medical second opinion on asthma and autoimmune disease and be confident that your precision medicine treatment is the best. Why asthma rates increase. Medical Second Opinion. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. Let’s continue a conversation about asthma. Prevalence of asthma in Europe and the United States over the last several decades increased dramatically. Dr. Esteban G. Gonzalez, MD. Yes. There is data from Norway that says that in 1948 only 0.4% of school children had asthma. By mid-nineties that percentage increased to 12%. In 2004 scientific reports said that 20% of all schoolchildren had asthma. That’s a 50 fold increase in asthma among children over 50 years. Yes. That’s very dramatic increase. In the United States number of people diagnosed with asthma increased by 4 million people between 2000 and 2009. 25 million people today have asthma in the United States. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. But among black children over that period there is a 50% percent increase in asthma. Yes. Genetic influences are significant in asthma, but genetics is not the only influencing factor. Why is there a dramatic growth in asthma in Western society? Medical Second Opinion. Professor of Pharmacogenomics, UCSF. Dr. Esteban G. Gonzalez, MD. First of all, our ability to diagnose asthma is more accurate now. We are better at deciding who has asthma and who does not have asthma. There are different types of asthma, or different flavors of asthma. Our diets have changed. Air pollution has increased. There are other big risk factors. The use of antibiotics is a big risk factor for asthma. There’s the old adage that says. If you eat a little dirt you improve your immune system. If you play with the animal, you improve your immune system. Sometimes you come from a large family. This also improves your immune system. Because everyone is getting affected by some infection. If there is a little infection in one member of a family. This is so-called “hygiene hypothesis”. But we also know that the hygiene hypothesis works differently in different populations. So for example, we published the largest air pollution clinical trial in United States in minority children. Dr. Esteban G. Gonzalez, MD. We demonstrated an amount of air pollution. We measured as nitrogen dioxide level. African Americans who are living right next door to Hispanics had a 43% increased risk of developing asthma. It was true for any level of air pollution. This was compared compared to Hispanics. It means that there are some genetically susceptible populations. They are more susceptible than others to certain diseases caused or made worse by pollution of environment.  Dr. Anton Titov, MD. This clinical trial tells us that we need to refine our public health standards. Medical Second Opinion. What is an acceptable Environmental Protection Agency standard? What is maximum permissible pollution level for a given substance? Is it going to be based upon the lowest common denominator? Or is it going to be based upon the population at the highest risk of developing asthma? Dr. Esteban G. Gonzalez, MD. I think it should be based on the population at the highest risk. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. Why asthma rates increase in Western world? Hygiene hypothesis, antibiotics use and environment pollution all play a role. Genetic DNA ancestry risks exist.