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Multicenter Study
. 2023 Nov 18;54(1):309-315.
doi: 10.55730/1300-0144.5792. eCollection 2024.

Elderly and aged asthma have different characteristics: results of a multicenter study

Ebru Damadoğlu  1 , Özge Öztürk Aktaş  2 , Bilun Gemicioğlu  3 , Nafiye Yilmaz  4 , Fulşen Bozkuş  5 , Vehbi Ayhan  6 , Ayse Füsun Kalpaklioğlu  7 , Ferda Öner Erkekol  8 , Yavuz Havlucu  9 , Fuat Erel  10 , Ömür Aydin  11 , Aydanur Ekici  12 , Ayşe Baççioğlu  7 , Serap Argun Bariş  13 , Gözde Köycü Buhari  14 , Berrin Ceyhan  15 , Özlem Göksel  16 , Mehmet Köse  10 , Adile Berna Dursun  17 , Füsun Yildiz  18 , Arzu Yorgancioğlu  9 , Sacide Rana Işik  19 , Dane Ediger  20 , İpek Kıvılcım Oğuzülgen  21 , Ahmet Uğur Demir  22 , Gül Karakaya  1 , Ali Fuat Kalyoncu  1
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Elderly and aged asthma have different characteristics: results of a multicenter study

Ebru Damadoğlu et al. Turk J Med Sci. .

Abstract

Background/aim: Characteristics of asthma in the elderly population is not well-known. The aim of the present study was to evaluate asthma in the elderly population, to compare disease characteristics between patients diagnosed <60 (aged asthma) and ≥60 (elderly asthma) years of age.

Materials and methods: The study was a prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional type. A questionnaire was filled out to patients 60 years of age and over, that have been followed for asthma for at least 3 months. Asthma Control Test (ACT), eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) was filled out, inhaler device technique was assessed.

Results: A total of 399 patients were included from 17 tertiary care centers across the country. Mean age was 67.11 years and 331 (83%) were female. The age at asthma diagnosis was ≥60 in 146 (36.6%) patients. Patients diagnosed ≥60 years were older (p < 0.001), had higher education level (p < 0.001), more commonly had first-degree relative with asthma (p = 0.038), asthma related comorbidities (p = 0.009) and accompanying rhinitis/rhinosinusitis (p = 0.005), had better asthma control (p = 0.001), were using less controller medications (p = 0.014). Inhaler technique was correct in 37% of the patients with no difference in between the groups. Treatment compliance was better in elderly asthma patients (p < 0.001). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, having well-controlled asthma (odds ratio = 1.61, CI = 1.04-2.51), and high medication adherence rate (odds ratio = 2.43, CI = 1.48-4.0) were associated with being in the elderly asthma group.

Conclusion: The characteristics of asthma are different among patients aged 60 years and over which seems to be related to onset age of asthma. In our cohort, the elderly asthma patients had higher education level, and treatment adherence and asthma control was better. Patients diagnosed ≥60 years of age did not have more severe disease.

Keywords: Asthma; allergic asthma; allergic rhinitis; elderly; elderly asthma; rhinitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: None

Figures

Figure
Figure
Association of asthma diagnosed age ≥60 years and asthma control variables in the Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis.
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