DR. JACKIE IN THE NEWS: TV, INTERNET, MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS 

Recently, Dr. Eghrari has appeared on a series of interviews on NBC 4 WRC-TV (Washington DC). The latest interviews can be viewed online at: NBC4 Washington

September 2010

By Corey Binns

When your kids hop back on the school bus this year, they could be headed for an asthma attack. School can worsen a child's asthma symptoms, thanks to seasonal allergens, the close confines of a classroom, and exposure to germs and allergens carried by other kids.

Asthma is the No. 1 cause of school absenteeism among children, according to the U.S. Department of Education, and accounts for more than 14 million total missed days of school. That's approximately eight days for each student with asthma. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that the illness sends more children to the hospital than any other childhood disease. Some research has also demonstrated that asthma-related visits to the emergency room peak 17 days after Labor Day.

"For so many parents, it's confusing because so much has changed since they were kids and had asthma," said Dr. Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet, who treats allergy immunology and pediatric allergy at her private practice in Gaithersburg, Md. "What so many people think about asthma is that you have to react to it, instead of preventing it."

Here's Eghrari-Sabet's advice on how to keep your child's asthma under control on campus:

Know Your Meds
If your child's an asthmatic or you suspect your child is, ask your pediatrician to test for the illness during a back-to-school checkup. Eghrari-Sabet recommends children take a pulmonary function test to measure their breathing.

"Controller medications are like toothpaste," said Eghrari-Sabet, regarding the drugs often prescribed to be taken twice a day on a long-term basis. These include inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators.

"If you only brush your teeth or take your asthma med when you feel you need it, you'll end up getting a cavity or an asthma attack." Children should take their controller medication regularly -- such as before bed and when they wake up. "So many kids stop taking their maintenance medications over the summer, so their tank is on empty." If they take it every day, she said, they won't need to rely on a rescue medication.

Albuterol and other rescue medications should be used more sparingly than controller medications and inhaled only as needed. "They're meant to be taken just to rescue you," said Eghrari-Sabet. "If you need to be rescued every day, you're taking the wrong medicine."

Treat Allergies
For most children with asthma, allergies can inflame their lung airways and trigger an attack. More than 2.5 million children under age 18 suffer from allergic asthma, according to the AAFA. The top three allergens children will likely encounter when they head back to school are ragweed, dust mites and mold. About 20 percent of Americans are allergic to ragweed, according to the AAFA.

"Of course, we don't want to keep our kids hidden away," said Eghrari-Sabet. "There are definitive way for kids to get tested to find out exactly what they're allergic to." At the pediatrician's office, your child can receive a RAST test, which scores each of their potential allergies on a scale of one to 10. For more specific results, Eghrari-Sabet recommends requesting pharmaceutical company Phadia's ImmunoCAP test.

Once you and your child's doctors learn the allergic triggers, your child can be immunized with allergy shots. It's good to take care of allergy shots early on, said Eghrari-Sabet, as immunization favors youth. "Allergy shots 'stick' in younger kids best," she said.

Avoid Infection
When kids first rush back into school hallways, they carry with them -- and pass along -- a host of germs. Sick children are more likely to suffer from asthma attacks. Respiratory infections, such as colds, the flu, sore throats and sinus infections, are the No. 1 asthma trigger in children, according to the AAFA.

You can protect your child from some respiratory infections by making sure he's vaccinated with this year's flu shot, said Eghrari-Sabet. And rest assured, the swine flu will already be included in the shot.

"If your kid is immunized, you've protected your own kid and probably protected his classmates," she said.

View Complete Article: AOL Health

Sunday August 22, 2010

Your Health: Got allergies? Maybe it's actually non-allergic rhinitis

By Kim Painter

It should be noted that adults can, at any age, develop new allergies or redevelop allergy symptoms that faded decades earlier, says Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet, an allergist in Gaithersburg, Md. Sensitive people who move to new areas with high pollen counts often get new symptoms after two or three years of exposure. The best way to sort it all out, she says: Go to an allergist and get a skin test.

View Complete Article: USA Today

This year, Washington ranks 43rd out of the 100 most challenging places to live with allergies, well behind Knoxville, Tenn., which claimed the top spot, followed by Louisville, Chattanooga, Tenn., and Dayton, Ohio. The ranking analyzes three factors -- the amount of grass, tree and weed pollens and mold spores; patients' usage of allergy medicines; and the number of allergy specialists in an area -- and basically measures the quality of life for allergy sufferers.

Washington "does have a very high pollen count this time of year," says Mike Tringale, director of external affairs for the AAFA, which is based in Landover, even if it's not one of the worst on the 100-worst list.

What makes things worse is that even before tree season ends, the grass pollens and even some early flowering weeds begin emerging in April, May and June.

"We have that double-whammy, overlapping allergy of tree and grass," says Gaithersburg allergist Jackie Eghrari-Sabet.  She adds that the diverse array of vegetation here just below the Mason-Dixon line, and the fact that we live in "dust mite nirvana" -- yes, we've got that perennial allergen, too, which thrives in humidity, old houses and other features of our fair, built-on-marshland city -- can make life a misery for those with allergies.

But whether you're still debating if all those sudden sniffles and sneezes are just a cold or are pollen-related, or if you are an allergy sufferer holding out hope that somehow this spring is going to take it easy on you, it may serve you well to be more proactive, says Eghrari-Sabet, rather than wait to see what happens with pollen counts.

"Everyone always says this is going to be the worst year for allergies ever, but the thing is, it doesn't really matter," says Eghrari-Sabet who also recommends taking preventative steps to eliminate dust mites from your home and allergy shots for those who are really suffering "No matter what kind of year it is, there is always more than enough pollen to go around and share here in Washington."

View Complete Article: Fox News or HealthKey

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Sneezin’ Season: This Summer-to-Fall interruption brought to you by ragweed, other allergens

By Susan Guynn | News-Post Staff

Summer may be winding down, but a new season is winding up — the sneezin' season — courtesy of ragweed.

"It usually starts around the 15th of August," said Dr. Jackie Eghrari-Sabet, an allergist at Family Allergy and Asthma Care with offices in Frederick and Gaithersburg. There are other allergy-triggering weeds all summer, but as fall goes on the culprits become ragweed and molds.

"There are two types of molds," Eghrari-Sabet said. "The type that come with hot, dry winds and the type that comes with rain."

"The beauty of being an allergist in this area is that there's enough allergens around all year-round," she said.

She sees a surge in patient visits this time of year as teachers and students get back to school. Dust mites are usually the source of allergy symptoms for teachers who arrive in classrooms first. The next round brings in students, particularly pre-school and kindergarten age.

"They spend a lot of time sitting on carpeted floors" and napping on mats, where dust mites hang out, feeding on dead skin cells. Then when the cool autumn air arrives outside, the heat goes on inside, circulating allergens around in rooms.

"Almost everybody I see is allergic to dust mites," Eghrari-Sabet said. "It's the most common allergen because people are exposed to them from birth, no matter where you live."

If you are experiencing allergy symptoms -- seasonal or perennial -- consider visiting an allergist who can schedule tests to see what may be triggering your symptoms. "It's so easy to get diagnosed and find out just what you are allergic to," Eghrari-Sabet said.

A new blood test, which can be ordered by a primary care physician or allergist, provides more accurate information about allergies. "If you need further treatment, allergy shots are the definitive treatment," she said.

View Complete Article: Frederick News-Post

By Melissa Dahl

Does all that exertion on the elliptical machine make you nauseous? Have you ever been convinced that if you spend even one more minute on the treadmill, you will actually die? Maybe it’s not all in your head.

A few people are actually allergic to exercise, and in very rare cases, a sweaty workout could be enough to kill them.

"These are people who will not have this reaction unless they exercise right after eating this food," says Dr. Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet, an allergist in private practice in Montgomery Village, MD., and a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. "Eating shellfish and sitting there? Nothing. But eating shellfish and exercising? For these people, it's bad news."

"It'll usually happen when you're really exercising," says Eghrari-Sabet.  "I don't think you're going to get it when you're bowling. But if you're doing cardio or a hip hop class, then, yes."

The condition can strike spontaneously, so even if you’ve been exercising all your life with nary a rash, you can unexpectedly break out in hives. Even some marathon runners have suddenly come down with a bad case of the itches after jogging, explains Eghrari-Sabet.Women are most susceptible to the condition, and the average age for its first appearance is 16. (A handy way to get out of gym class?)

View Complete Article: MSNBC

Monday June 1, 2009

Tips for Keeping the Sneezes, Coughs Away.

By Alan Zibel

Your eyes are red and puffy. You can't stop sneezing. Your main desire is to return to bed. Welcome to allergy season.

Allergies are more than just an annoyance. On bad days, they're a serious impediment to work or play.

Here are some common indoor allergens, and how to protect against them.

MOLD: If you're not careful, you can find mold spores growing in your walls and floors. Experts advise cleaning moldy surfaces with a 5 percent bleach solution. Just like dust mites, mold grows particularly well in carpets and in humid air. So use a dehumidifier if you have a particularly damp basement.

Mold can also be a big issue when you are buying a house. If you see evidence of mold or water damage when you're looking at a house, keep in mind that it could be much worse beneath the surface. "If you see it showing up on the inside, that's bad news," says Dr. Jackie Eghrari-Sabet, an allergist in Gaithersburg, MD.

View Complete Article: Associated Press

The Take Charge Guide to Allergies

By Margery D. Rosen

When you have an allergy, your immune system releases inflammatory chemicals (most commonly, histamines and leukotrienes) into the bloodstream to attack what it perceives as an invader.  Each time you’re exposed to that allergen, symptoms return, often increasing in severity.  “Sneezing is the body’s first line of defense,” explains Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet, M.D., a pediatric allergist in Frederick Maryland.

With kids under 3, however, allergy diagnosis can be tricky.  “They can have allergies, but they’re more likely to be perennial – allergies to cats, dogs, and dust,” explains Dr. Eghrari-Sabet.

Plenty of medications exist to reduce symptoms, but it’s important to check with your doctor before buying any, says Dr. Eghrari-Sabet: “Allergy treatment is complicated.  Just because a certain antihistamine worked for an older sibling, or a friend, that doesn’t mean it’ll work for your child,” she says.

Saline washes They’re very effective for postnasal drip and congestion.  “The salt water is like a shower for the nose,” explains Dr. Eghrari-Sabet.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

What is Pollen and Why are So Many People Affected by It?

Dr. Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet

April 29, 2010

What is and Allergic Reaction?

Dr. Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet

April 29, 2010

Friday March 26, 2010

By Rachael Rettner

If you think you're seeing more people sneezing and tearing up this allergy season, you might be right. Studies show that allergies are on the rise in developed countries, including the United States — not just seasonal allergies, but allergies of all kinds.

 

The insurance claims that people file when they see an allergist also document an increase, according to Dr. Jacqueline S. Eghrari-Sabet, an allergist at Family Asthma & Allergy Care in Gaithersburg, Md., and a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.

 

And in children have also experienced an uptick. From 1997 to 2007, the number of children with food allergies rose 18 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

"You walk in to any kindergarten, and they're all peanut-free kindergarteners because of the high incidence of peanut allergy," said Dr. Eghrari-Sabet.

 

We're too dirty

 

All the smog and other types of air pollution might also be making allergies worse, particularly asthma. However, while there is good evidence for the link between pollution and allergies in a test tube, it remains tough to prove in large populations of people, Eghrari-Sabet said.

 

Just more diagnoses

 

It's possible that the rising numbers are simply due to more people being diagnosed with allergies, Eghrari-Sabet said. "Whereas before people were told you just have dry skin or a rash, now they're told, you have eczema," she said.

With better allergy treatments, more sufferers might go to their doctor, bumping up diagnoses more. However, more diagnoses alone simply can't explain the entire increase, especially for food allergies Eghrari-Sabet said.

View complete article: Live Science

Thursday October 8, 2009

 

What You Need to Know About the H1N1 Vaccine

By Emily Chau

There are a lot of questions out there about the H1N1 vaccine, so we asked Dr. Jackie Eghrari-Sabet, M.D., to give us the scoop. She’s an allergist practicing in the Washington, DC Metro area, founder of Family Allergy & Asthma Care and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology.

Who can get the H1N1 vaccine?

While anyone can ask their doctor for the H1N1 vaccine, pregnant women, people who live with or take care of babies younger than 6 months old, children and young adults (6 months to 24 years old), and healthcare personnel have first priority. Adults ages 24 to 65 who have a chronic disease (asthma, immunosuppressive diseases, chemotherapy, cardiac disease, kidney disease) are also in line for the vaccine. A recent study found that adults older than 65 years old have a “less robust” response to the H1N1 vaccine, as is the case with the seasonal vaccine, but these people are also at a lower risk of contracting swine flu.

By: Rachel Rabkin Pechman

 

Ah, spring is in the air…and so is pollen. To help you manage the itchy eyes and runny nose, Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet, MD, a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, offers these tips: Time your workouts right. Pollen counts are highest in the morning, so fit in that jog during your lunch break or after work. Turn on the AC. Rolling down the car windows or keeping the screen door open will let the outside air (and pollen) inside. Instead, shut the windows and switch on the air conditioner. Park away from pollen. If you can opt for indoor parking at work, do so. Parking under (or near) a tree filled with pollen is a surefire way to get a dose of allergens. Get the right meds. If you can’t kick your symptoms or if you have difficulty breathing, see an allergist for help figuring out the best medication for you.

 

View complete article: Working Mother

March 26 2010

Life's Little Mysteries

March 19 2010 3:08 PM ET

What Causes Allergies?

By Rachael Rettner

An allergy is a reaction of your immune system to what are usually harmless, run-of-the-mill substances that most people's bodies don't perceive as dangerous. The offending substance, called an allergen, can take many forms, from cat hair to pollen to penicillin.

While allergies can result in a range of symptoms, from wheezing and sneezing to itching, swelling and rashes, these seemingly diverse afflictions all have a common cause.

Let's say you're allergic to peanuts. When you eat a peanut, your body sees the allergen as a threat. Your immune system then sends out an alarm as though it is being attacked by an infectious invader.

First, your immune cells produce Y-shaped proteins called antibodies. These antibodies bind to the allergen, like a lock and key. The occupied antibody can then go and attach to specific cells known as mast cells, which trigger the release of chemicals like histamine that cause allergic symptoms.

It's helpful to think of the antibody as hooked to a piñata, said Dr. Jacqueline S. Eghrari-Sabet, an allergist at Family Asthma & Allergy Care in Gaithersburg, MD. "That piñata busts open and out comes a whole bunch of chemicals that your body makes, and makes you sneeze and wheeze and itch and break out in hives."

Source Life’s Little Mysteries.

Families Only: Full Lives

By Dr. Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet

As scary as this may sound, an asthma diagnosis should not be feared. According to new management guidelines released in 2006 by the Global Initiative for Asthma, treating asthma is about controlling asthma to prevent or limit the occurrence of attacks. This involves:

1. partnering with your physician to find the right treatment
2. limiting the effect of exposure to the triggering allergen, either through avoidance or allergy shots, and
3. taking maintenance medications as prescribed to limit reliance on reliever medications.

Distinguishing between reliever and maintenance medications is important to the management of asthma. Maintenance medications, which work to decrease inflammation, are usually taken on a daily basis. Reliever medications, which contain forms of albuterol, are not meant to be taken on a daily basis. They are to be used as rescue medications to help with the constriction that occurs with the onset of an asthma attack. If your child is using reliever medications more than prescribed, this is a sign the asthma is not under control. Your treating physician can help bring it back under control with an adjustment in maintenance meds.

As for sports, there is good news for your daughter if she is diagnosed. With proper asthma management, there should be no limit to the type or level of sport she wishes to pursue.

Read complete article: Global Initiative for Asthma