Dr Seif Shaheen

Research outline:

'We have found preliminary evidence to suggest that low exposure to selenium and iron in the womb may increase the risk of wheezing in early childhood. If we can confirm these findings using more precise techniques, we will carry out a trial of mineral supplementation in pregnant women, to see if we can prevent wheezing and asthma from developing in their children.

'We will also study the effects of vitamin supplementation in pregnancy, and whether diet in early childhood influences asthma.

'After discovering that asthma and wheezing are more common in children whose mothers used paracetamol in late pregnancy, we plan to carry out a genetic study which will help to clarify if these effects are likely to be causal and to identify which mothers and children are most susceptible to paracetamol. We are also planning a trial to see whether use of an alternative painkiller to paracetamol would be preferable for asthmatic children.

'In adults we have found that frequent paracetamol use and a low dietary intake of selenium and apples may increase the risk of asthma. We are following up these findings by carrying out trials in adults with asthma to test whether these links really are causal, and to see whether, by increasing intake of selenium and apples, or changing the preparation of paracetamol, the severity of asthma could be reduced.

'If these trials are successful, patients would potentially, by changing their diet, taking appropriate supplements, or altering their use of painkillers, be able to reduce the amount of asthma drugs that they need to take.'

Project ID number: RF08S