A recent study concludes that viral infections may cause asthma attacks in a significant proportion of asthma patients. Researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine studied 122 asthmatics treated for acute symptoms of asthma at hospital emergency departments and 29 asthmatic adults treated at a pulmonary clinic to collect data. The study found that 55% of asthma attacks treated at emergency department were linked to respiratory tract viral infections, while 44% of attacks in asthmatic pulmonary clinic patients were associated with similar infections. Authors say the findings suggest that more effort should be placed on preventing respiratory tract viral infections among asthma patients.