Island Life Magazine Ltd April/May 2012 | Page 136

FASHION HEALTH & BEAUTY

Allergy
research
Research into asthma and allergies has
been carried out on the Isle of Wight
since the late 1970s when the late Dr
David Hide started a programme of
research.
Dr. Hide realised that the Island,
with its distinct boundaries, was
an ideal place to carry out research
particularly on the prevalence of
commonly occurring medical problems
like asthma and allergies.
Dr. Hide was joined in 1988 by Dr
Hasan Arshad (now Professor Arshad)
and the programme of research into
allergic disease grew rapidly. More
than a hundred publications have
appeared in prestigious medical
journals and the research is now world
renowned.
One of the largest projects
undertaken by the research team began
in 1989 when the parents of all babies
born on the Island from January 1989
to February 1990 were invited to take
part in a birth cohort study looking
into the natural history of asthma and
allergy.
The 1,456 who took part have been
followed up regularly since they were
babies and are now having children
of their own. This study is known as
“The Isle of Wight Study” all over
the asthma and allergy world. The
research team has been awarded several
international grants to follow-up these
children.
A unique study is being carried
out currently where children of the

136

www.visitislandlife.com

birth cohort will
be recruited
into the ‘next
generation’
study. We
are, asking
for those
who have had
or are expecting
babies, to contact
the research team at the David Hide
Centre.
As many as one in four people in
the UK are affected by an allergy
at some time in their lives, with
children accounting for half of all
those affected. Dust mite allergen,
often found in pillows, mattresses
and carpets, is the most prevalent
allergy-triggering substance, causing a
number of different allergies. Another
focus of research at the David Hide
Centre is in trying to prevent asthma
and allergies.
Babies who are born in to families
where there are one or more members
who suffer from allergies have an
increased chance of developing asthma
and allergy themselves. The research
team is currently identifying high risk
babies to take part in a study with
the aim of preventing them from
developing allergies in the future.
In another study, doctors at The
David Hide Centre hope that exposing
babies to dust mites very early in
life, when their immune systems are
working out what is and isn’t harmful,

will teach their bodies to accept it
and not become susceptible as they
grow older.
A total of 120 babies aged five to
nine months with a family history of
allergy will take part in the project.
Staff are still recruiting and any
parents interested in helping are urged
to contact the team at The David Hide
Centre, St Mary’s Hospital (01983
534192) for more information. The
team would also be delighted to hear
from any of the 1989-90 birth cohort,
male or female, who have had or are
expecting a baby.