Airsonett novel treatment for allergic asthma – new word in allergen avoidance
In our clinic you can get assessment of your condition for suitability to this treatment and demonstration of the device with allergy consultant and have allergy and breathing test done.
These diagnostic tests can help to find out whether you will benefit from using this device.
Please note This new method of allergen avoidance can decrease your symptoms but it is NOT a substitution of your usual medication.
We advise to have consultations every 6 months to assess your symptoms and adjust your treatment.
Airsonett How it works?
A clinical trial of the device in 282 patients aged between 7 and 70 years with one or more symptoms of partially controlled or uncontrolled asthma has been carried out to evaluate the effect of using Airsonett in a randomised placebo controlled double-blind parallel study. Published in Thorax in March 2012 (lead investigating centre Imperial College London).
Thorax, 2012;67:215-221 Robert J Boyle et al Nocturnal temperature controlled laminar airflow for treating atopic asthma: a randomised controlled trial http://thorax.bmj.com/site/misc/thoraxjnl-2011-200665.pdf
The device was used for a period of 12 months and looked at quality of life, bronchial inflammation (FENO) and IgE levels. Across all groups, patient quality of life was improved in the more severe & poorly controlled group. This improvement is not only statistically significant compared to placebo, but it is also a clinically significant improvement: p=0.002, Δ=0.79 (Figure 4); bronchial inflammation levels were shown to be decreased and. There were no adverse events attributed to treatment with Airsonett. Although the study was not designed or powered to look at exacerbations, there was a trend towards reduction in severe exacerbations, p=0.069 in patients with poorly controlled asthma, and high treatment intensity.
Airsonett is a non-pharmacological, non-invasive treatment without side effects for treating perennial atopic allergy and which has recently completed rigorous clinical trials for chronic perennial atopic asthma. Case studies also suggest that is effective in perennial eczema and perennial rhinitis. It is widely accepted that avoiding allergens in allergic disease works (food intolerance etc). Perennial atopic asthma is triggered by inhaling airborne allergens from house dust mite, cockroach, pets, mould, etc. High altitude studies demonstrate that minimising the impact of inhaled indoor allergens is the logical first step in reducing the severity of asthma. However this has previously proven difficult to achieve with practical methods in the home.It is a well known fact that one of the more important reservoirs of these allergens is the bedding and patients are exposed to the vast majority of inhaled indoor aero-allergens when in bed.
Airsonett was designed following the discovery that when a person is lying in bed an air movement takes place (the body convection) due to the air surrounding the body becoming warmer than the ambient air. This body convection effectively transports and concentrates allergen rich air from the reservoir of the bed to the breathing zone as shown in figure 1.
Figure 1: The warm body causes a convection air flow. The blanket works like a chimney. Allergens follow the body convection passing the breathing zone
Figure 2: TLA is able to displace body convection and significantly reduce particle and allergen exposure during sleep, as measured in the breathing zone, without creating draft or dehydration
Airsonett was designed to break the body convection and displace the allergen load from the breathing zone. It is based on Temperature controlled Laminar Airflow (TLA) technology that effectively displaces this allergen rich body convection and dramatically reduces the level of inhalant allergen during sleep (see figure 2). Studies show a 1000 to 3000 fold reduction of particle exposure compared with no intervention. This represents a paradigm shift in the reduction of exposure to inhaled indoor aero-allergens (figure 3).
Figure 3: TLA (red curve) is able to achieve a 1000 fold reduction of exposure to inhaled particles as compared to no intervention (blue curve). A best in class air cleaner (green curve) is able to achieve only a corresponding 10 fold reduction.
Figure 4: Quality of Life improvement (Red line = Placebo, Blue Line = Airsonett)
The authors conclude that Airsonett is a treatment option for patients with uncontrolled perennial atopic asthma despite high treatment intensity where guidelines recommend stepping up treatment.
In routine clinical practice Airsonett has been shown to reduce hospitalisations, reduce A&E visits, reduce oral steroid dose; and has also improved school attendance.