title: Age is not associated with hospital admission or uncontrolled symptoms of asthma if proper treatment is offered.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aging modifies immune response and respiratory physiology. Few studies evaluate the effect of age on asthma. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether age is associated with uncontrolled symptoms and hospital admissions due to asthma in a setting where patients were receiving proper treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 401 patients with uncontrolled asthma who were inhaled corticosteroid-naive. The follow-up period was 1 year. They received medications for asthma, performed spirometry, a symptoms questionnaire, and all emergency room visits and hospital admissions due to asthma were reported. The primary end point was hospital admission during the follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline data demonstrated that subjects >55 years of age had a later onset of asthma and a longer duration of symptoms. Adjusted logistic regression models demonstrated that older age at enrollment did not predict asthma control in the follow-up: hospital admission due to asthma [odds ratio (OR) 1.7 and 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.6-4.7], symptoms score (OR 0.6 and 95% CI 0.3-1.1) and emergency room visits due to asthma (OR 0.9 and 95% CI 0.6-1.3). Older age was associated with worse lung function (OR 1.8 and 95% CI 1.1-3.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study allows us to conclude that older age is associated with a later onset of asthma and a longer duration of symptoms. Age does not predict hospital admissions or poor control of asthma symptoms if proper treatment is offered. It does, however, predict worse lung function.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Jundiaí, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Vieira
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Ponte
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stelmach
authors.forename: Rosana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Souza-Machado
authors.forename: Adelmir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Souza-Machado
authors.forename: Alvaro A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Cruz
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013147:Spirometry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents