ATS Coverage: Mind and Body
Another important theme at this year's ATS meeting is the importance of assessing not only physical health but also psychological well-being. A study at Harvard Medical School found mothers' levels of stress can influence the fetus's development of immunity and increase sensitivity to allergen exposure and potential risk for future asthma.
The team analyzed levels of maternal stress as well as
exposure to dust mites in their home. They studied umbilical cord blood for IgE expression, a biomarker of the child's immunity at birth. They found increased IgE expression in the cord blood of infants whose mothers had higher stress levels even when exposed to a relatively low level of dust mites during the pregnancy. Their findings show that the mother's stress during pregnancy intensified the effect of dust exposure on the child's immunity.
This suggests that to reduce potential asthma and allergy risks, physicians must initiate multi-factorial interventions. They have to educate expectant mothers not only about environmental factors but also about the importance of caring for mental health. The study suggests the need to bring back ancillary services including psychological support in clinical care, said study author Rosalind Wright, MD, MPH.
A study from the University of Washington School of Medicine looked at the link between lung disease and stress from the other side. Researchers examined the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder in caregivers of lung transplant patients. They found symptoms of depression and PTSD are four to five times more prevalent among caregivers of deceased lung transplant patients than in the general population. These findings again reinforce the need for more attention to emotional health in respiratory care.
The authors believe trained counselors to help family members with emotional needs and financial issues could reduce the caregiver stress. In addition, the study also found family members who felt their loved ones had a lower quality of dying and death or poorly controlled pain symptoms were more likely to have symptoms of PTSD. This suggests that in addition to ancillary services, improving care in the respiratory department can help to reduce patient and caregiver stress.