Paracetamol may lead to asthma
Teenagers who regularly take paracetamol, the widely used over-the-counter painkiller, are more than twice as likely to develop asthma and serious allergies, a new study has claimed.
The research, involving 300,000 teenagers aged 13 and 14, found that those who had paracetamol once a month were 2.5 times as likely to have asthma than those who never took it.
And those who used it once a year were 50 per cent more likely to have asthma, it was found.
The research, carried out by a team from the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, also linked paracetamol use to allergic nasal congestion and eczema, the Telegraph reported.
Although the researchers could not determine whether paracetamol was definitely the cause of the increased risk of asthma, eczema and nasal allergies, they suggested that
the painkiller might be interfering with the immune system and causing inflammation in the airways.
“The overall population attributable risks for current symptoms of severe asthma were around 40 per cent, suggesting that if the associations were causal, they would be of major public health significance,” said lead author Dr Richard Beasley.
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Cole to create awareness on Africa malaria
London: Singer Cheryl Cole, who is recuperating after being struck by malaria, has vowed to help battle the killer disease in the poorest parts of Africa.
“It is a very brave decision. Cheryl has thought long and hard about it. This is a life-changing, landmark experience for her. She’s seen how malaria destroy people’s lives and now has first-hand knowledge of just how serious it is,” said Cheryl’s friend.
The 27-year-old had spent 11 days in hospital after catching the highly infectious virus during a holiday in Tanzania with Derek Hough. Now Cheryl plans to return to the continent to raise awareness about the disease with the help of Comic Relief charity.
She will first visit Uganda after she finishes the forthcoming series of talent hunt show X Factor. She will meet the families of malaria victims. —IANS
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