Asthma sufferers may have a higher risk of developing diabetes and heart disease, according to a new study.
Researchers looked at medical records from the late 1960s through the early 1980s to analyze the relationship between asthma and four other inflammatory conditions. They found higher rates of diabetes and heart illness among asthmatics than other people.
According to one expert, the results were unexpected because asthmatics have a different immune system profile from cardiac and diabetes patients.
"It was surprising because there are two broad categories (of immune profiles) that they're looking at here," explained Dr. Jennifer Appleyard, chief of allergy and immunology at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit. She believes that the study findings should be seen as preliminary and more research is needed to understand the relationship.
"It's important to look at how they (asthma, and diabetes or heart disease) interact or affect each other, both looking at possible causes and risk factors, and then specific treatment geared to that part of the immune system," Appleyard said.
The findings were reported Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in San Francisco.
