title: Dyspnea: a strong independent factor for long-term mortality in the elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between dyspnea at entry into the PAQUID cohort and 13-year mortality, taking into consideration BMI and other mortality-related factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  In Dordogne and Gironde, South Western France.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3646 French community dwellers aged 65 years old and over from the PAQUID study were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  dyspnea measured on 5-grades scale, mortality measured over 13 years of follow-up. Adjustment variables: age, gender, BMI (kg/m²), antecedent of ischemic heart disease, antecedent of stroke, hypertension, smoking history and diabetes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study sample included 3646 subjects out of whom 54.11% died at 13 years of follow-up, 57.3% of participants were women and mean age was 75.3 (SD 6.8) years. Univariate analysis showed that dyspnea was associated with 13-year mortality. Death occurred in 45.6% of non-dyspneic subjects , 51.8% in those with level 1 of dyspnea, 65.6% in level 2 and 80.6% in level 3 and 4 (P<10⁻⁴). The median survival was at 13.26 (SD 0.20) years for level-0 of dyspnea, 12.33 (SD 0.31) years for level-1 of dyspnea, 9.28 (SD 0.44) years for level-2 and 6.43 (SD 0.45) years for level-3 and 4 (P=10⁻³). In the multivariate analysis, the risk of mortality for level1 compared to level-0 was HR=1.13 (CI95%=[1.01-1.26]); this risk increases to HR=1.42 (CI95%=[1.25-1.63]) for level-2 and to HR=1.90 (CI95%=[1.61-2.25]) for level-3 and 4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the relationship between long-term mortality and dyspnea is strong, consistent and independent of other covariates in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: M. Berraho, Department of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Fez - Morocco. Univ. Bordeaux, ISPED, Centre INSERM U897-Epidemiologie-Biostatistique, F-33000 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berraho
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nejjari
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: El Rhazi
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Tessier
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dartigues
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barberger-Gateau
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raherison
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis