title: A history of ischemic heart disease is a common cause of wheezing in the elderly of a Japanese local community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate which factors have a significant impact on wheezing and QOL in the elderly of a Japanese local community.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2008, 527 participants (250 participants aged 45 to 64 years and 277 participants aged 65 to 88 years) responded to the questionnaire regarding wheezing and disease history. QOL was evaluated by the Short Form-8. The participants underwent airway reversibility testing. The plasma levels of IgE were measured. The plasma levels of N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were measured in twenty-one participants with a history of ischemic heart disease and in thirty-five age-matched participants without that history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wheezing was reported by 50 (9.5%) participants and was associated with a lower score of QOL. In multivariate analysis, wheezing was associated with sex (OR 3.12, CI 1.10-9.67) and a history of bronchial asthma (OR 22.3, CI 6.50-84.0) among participants aged 45 to 64 years. Among participants aged 65 and over, wheezing was associated with a history of bronchial asthma (OR 4.86, CI 1.39-15.1) and ischemic heart disease (OR 5.12, CI 1.61-15.0). Participants with both a history of ischemic heart disease and wheezing showed higher levels of N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. Airway reversibility was only associated with a history of ischemic heart disease (OR 4.65, CI 1.26-17.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is suggested that bronchial asthma and heart disease are both significant causes of wheezing and affect the QOL in the elderly of a Japanese local community.
authors.affiliation: The First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Minehiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inomata
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawagishi
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokui
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Masaki
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taka
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kambara
authors.forename: Seisuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okazawa
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imanishi
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Origasa
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Ryuji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tobe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011788:Quality of Life; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D007073:Immunoglobulin E