The impact of aging on outpatients with asthma in a real-world setting

Asthma is characterized by airway inflammation and bronchial hyperreactivity. It is conceived that aging may affect asthma characteristics, but this issue is still not completely clarified in clinical practice.

The present study investigated whether aging may affect some clinical and functional factors in outpatients with asthma visited in a real-world setting, such as clinical practice.

Globally, 391 outpatients (163 males, median age 47 years) with asthma were consecutively evaluated. The following parameters were assessed: history, including, smoking, comorbidity, and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) use, physical examination, body mass index (BMI), lung function, level of asthma control, asthma control test (ACT), and fractional exhaled NO (FeNO).

The elderly with asthma had: more frequently not controlled asthma, higher BMI, higher ICS dosages, more impaired lung function, including plethysmographic parameters, than adult asthmatics (p < 0.001 for all, but p = 0.002 for RV and p = 0.008 for FRC). Elderly asthmatics were also less frequently allergic (p < 0.001) and had less rhinitis comorbidity (p < 0.001) and less nasal symptoms (p < 0.05) than younger asthmatics.

The present study conducted in a real-world setting shows that aging significantly affects asthma, mainly concerning asthma control, lung function, and steroid-sensitivity.