Health
New research aims to treat sinusitis
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 25, 2008
Newly developed genetically engineered mice with inflamed nasal tissues are expected to aid in the development of treatments for chronic sinusitis, a condition that affects an estimated 31 million Americans.
"Until now, the lack of realistic animal models for each of the key symptoms of chronic inflammation in the nasal tissue -- such as the growth of nasal polyps, the loss of the sense of smell, swollen sinus tissue or clogged and runny noses -- has slowed sinusitis research and hindered our search for therapies," said Andrew Lane, MD, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, who led the team of researchers that developed the mice.
He introduced them July 22 at the XV International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste being held in San Francisco.
New therapies are needed, Dr. Lane said, as an alternative to long-term steroids, which block the inflammatory chemical pathway but also have debilitating side effects, such as loss of bone density, cataracts and weight gain.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/08/25/hlbf0825.htm.
