Abstract
Study objective: To estimate the incidence of asthma in an elderly population and to describe the clinical characteristics, use of health services, and long-term survival of persons with onset of asthma after age 65 years. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Rochester, Minn. Patients: All Rochester, Minn, residents age 65 years or older who met criteria for onset of definite or probable asthma from 1964 through 1983. Interventions: None. Measurements and results: Ninety-eight Rochester residents (52 female, 46 male) with onset of asthma at or after age 65 years were identified. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence was 95/100,000 (95% confidence interval, 76 to 115/100,000). The age-specific incidence of asthma was 103/100,000 in residents aged 65 to 74 years, 81/100,000 in those aged 75 to 84 years, and 58/100,000 in residents older than 85 years. Only 11% had allergy skin tests, 24% had at least one office peak flow measurement, and 43% had at least one spirometry measurement. After the diagnosis of asthma, 40% had unscheduled ambulatory visits, 22% had emergency department visits, and 42% had at least one hospitalization for asthma. Observed survival was not significantly different from expected survival. Conclusions: Asthma is common in the elderly. Diagnostic evaluation was less intensive than present guidelines recommend. Following the diagnosis of asthma, a substantial proportion of these individuals required unscheduled ambulatory visits, emergency department visits, or hospitalizations. Asthma with onset after age 65 years was not associated with reduced survival.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 303-310 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Chest |
| Volume | 111 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - 1997 |
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Keywords
- asthma
- diagnosis
- elderly
- incidence
- survival
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Cite this
Incidence and outcomes of asthma in the elderly : A population-based study in Rochester, Minnesota. / Bauer, Brent A; Reed, Charles E.; Yunginger, John W.; Wollan, Peter C.; Silverstein, Marc D.
In: Chest, Vol. 111, No. 2, 1997, p. 303-310.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Incidence and outcomes of asthma in the elderly
T2 - A population-based study in Rochester, Minnesota
AU - Bauer, Brent A
AU - Reed, Charles E.
AU - Yunginger, John W.
AU - Wollan, Peter C.
AU - Silverstein, Marc D.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Study objective: To estimate the incidence of asthma in an elderly population and to describe the clinical characteristics, use of health services, and long-term survival of persons with onset of asthma after age 65 years. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Rochester, Minn. Patients: All Rochester, Minn, residents age 65 years or older who met criteria for onset of definite or probable asthma from 1964 through 1983. Interventions: None. Measurements and results: Ninety-eight Rochester residents (52 female, 46 male) with onset of asthma at or after age 65 years were identified. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence was 95/100,000 (95% confidence interval, 76 to 115/100,000). The age-specific incidence of asthma was 103/100,000 in residents aged 65 to 74 years, 81/100,000 in those aged 75 to 84 years, and 58/100,000 in residents older than 85 years. Only 11% had allergy skin tests, 24% had at least one office peak flow measurement, and 43% had at least one spirometry measurement. After the diagnosis of asthma, 40% had unscheduled ambulatory visits, 22% had emergency department visits, and 42% had at least one hospitalization for asthma. Observed survival was not significantly different from expected survival. Conclusions: Asthma is common in the elderly. Diagnostic evaluation was less intensive than present guidelines recommend. Following the diagnosis of asthma, a substantial proportion of these individuals required unscheduled ambulatory visits, emergency department visits, or hospitalizations. Asthma with onset after age 65 years was not associated with reduced survival.
AB - Study objective: To estimate the incidence of asthma in an elderly population and to describe the clinical characteristics, use of health services, and long-term survival of persons with onset of asthma after age 65 years. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Rochester, Minn. Patients: All Rochester, Minn, residents age 65 years or older who met criteria for onset of definite or probable asthma from 1964 through 1983. Interventions: None. Measurements and results: Ninety-eight Rochester residents (52 female, 46 male) with onset of asthma at or after age 65 years were identified. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence was 95/100,000 (95% confidence interval, 76 to 115/100,000). The age-specific incidence of asthma was 103/100,000 in residents aged 65 to 74 years, 81/100,000 in those aged 75 to 84 years, and 58/100,000 in residents older than 85 years. Only 11% had allergy skin tests, 24% had at least one office peak flow measurement, and 43% had at least one spirometry measurement. After the diagnosis of asthma, 40% had unscheduled ambulatory visits, 22% had emergency department visits, and 42% had at least one hospitalization for asthma. Observed survival was not significantly different from expected survival. Conclusions: Asthma is common in the elderly. Diagnostic evaluation was less intensive than present guidelines recommend. Following the diagnosis of asthma, a substantial proportion of these individuals required unscheduled ambulatory visits, emergency department visits, or hospitalizations. Asthma with onset after age 65 years was not associated with reduced survival.
KW - asthma
KW - diagnosis
KW - elderly
KW - incidence
KW - survival
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031037873&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 9041973
AN - SCOPUS:0031037873
VL - 111
SP - 303
EP - 310
JO - Chest
JF - Chest
SN - 0012-3692
IS - 2
ER -