Renewed Hope and Relief for Asthma and Allergy Patients: New AHN Diagnostic and Treatment Clinic

To help patients with severe asthma and allergy symptoms, or those who haven’t found relief with traditional treatments, the AHN Medicine Institute is launching a new Advanced Allergy and Asthma Clinic.

Advanced testing and diagnostics

Many patients labeled with asthma may actually have respiratory infections, severe allergies, or other conditions that mimic its symptoms.

At AHN, our goal is to provide an expert second opinion and confirm diagnostics through advanced testing. By diagnosing their condition and examining its severity, we can optimize a patient’s current treatment, or start them on a new, effective treatment regimen to provide control and relief.

Pulmonary Function Testing (1 hour):

This pain-free, preparation-free testexamines patient lung function by having them blow into a machine. Pulmonary function testing:

• Measures how much air is blown out per second.
• Measures lung capacity.
• Can confirm an asthma diagnosis.
• May provide evidence of other conditions mimicking asthma.

Asthma Treatment Efficacy (FeNO) Testing (30 minutes):

In this pain-free and preparation-free test, patients breathe into a meter that measures the nitric oxide content in their breath. The nitric oxide levels can:

1. Show if there is inflammation in the lungs.
2. Suggest risk of asthma exacerbation.
3. Provide evidence that current medication may not be adequate for the patient’s current level of asthma.
4. Provide a snapshot of a patient’s condition on a given day.

Finding the right treatment with a multidisciplinary approach

The AHN Advanced Asthma and Allergy Clinic combines the expertise of Pulmonologists Adeel Nasrullah, MD, and Bill Barker, MD, Allergist Thomas Makin, MD, and other AHN specialists for a holistic approach to care.

Dr. Barker says that the combination of expertise provided by AHN’s pulmonology team can greatly help patients who have not responded to standard treatment.

“There is no specific criteria that a person must meet to receive care at the clinic. We just want to help any person feel better that has not been able to control their symptoms,” said Dr. Barker. “Sometimes their current treatment may be doing everything right and they just need a boost or second opinion to optimize the effectiveness — that’s where our multidisciplinary team can help.”

After undergoing AHN’s advanced testing, our specialists have a standardized approach for recommending next steps.

For patients with a confirmed asthma diagnosis: Inhaler therapy is recommended first and foremost, including education on proper usage.

For patients still not responding well to inhalers: Treatments like biologic therapy injections can be effective in managing their condition and may be prescribed.

For patients with symptoms mimicking asthma: We may refer them to an AHN allergist, gastroenterologist, speech therapist, or other specialist to address their specific needs.

How to refer your patient:

Call: (412) DOCTORS and ask to be referred to the Advanced Asthma and Allergy Clinic. The clinic is currently offered at the AHN North Fayette Health + Wellness Pavilion and AHN Allegheny General Hospital.

For patients without access to these locations, we have several other experts in the AHN Pulmonology Division that are eager to provide high-quality care.