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

BACKGROUND: 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.

OBJECTIVE: 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.

METHODS: 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).

RESULTS: 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.

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