title: Phenotyping asthma in the elderly: allergic sensitization profile and upper airways comorbidity in patients older than 65 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data about allergic rhinitis in elderly patients with asthma are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence of rhinitis and the role of sensitization of airborne allergens in elderly patients with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a multicenter cross-sectional study involving subjects at least 65 years old with asthma. Demographic features, comorbidities, and the presence of allergic respiratory disease were retrieved through interview. Skin prick tests for common allergens were performed. Associations of demographic and clinical features were evaluated in relation to asthma control and forced expiratory volume in the first second less than 80% in the total population and in the subgroup with features resembling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 368 elderly subjects with asthma, 101 had features resembling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Rhinitis was present in 59.0% of subjects (allergic rhinitis in 47.6%), with an age of onset significantly different from that of asthma (49 ± 18 vs 57 ± 18 years). At least 1 sensitization was observed in 52.4% of subjects, more frequently for house dust mite (HDM; 31.8%). The prevalence of poorly and partially controlled asthma was higher in patients sensitized to airborne allergens (odds ratio 1.64, 95% confidence interval 1.03-2.61), in particular to HDM (odds ratio 1.73, 95% confidence interval 1.05-2.85).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Approximately 60% of elderly subjects with asthma had rhinitis, mainly allergic and often untreated, whose onset preceded asthma symptoms by a mean of approximately 10 years. Nonallergic asthma was better controlled than allergic asthma. However, HDM sensitization was greater in subjects with asthma with features resembling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (39% vs 28%). When restricting analysis to this group, the negative role of HDM in overall asthma control (forced expiratory volume in first second and Asthma Control Test) was significant.
authors.affiliation: Unità Dipartimentale di Allergologia-Immunologia Clinica & Malattie Apparato Respiratorio, Ente Ospedaliero Fondazione Poliambulanza, Brescia, Italy. Electronic address: carlo.lombardi@poliambulanza.it.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.affiliation: Unità di Igiene, Epidemiologia e Sanità Pubblica dell'Università degli Studi di Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raffetti
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Allergologia, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Integrata di Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caminati
authors.affiliation: Azienda Ospedaliera Cardarelli, Divisione di Pneumologia ad Indirizzo Allergologico, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liccardi
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passalacqua
authors.affiliation: Struttura Complessa di Pneumologia, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria S Maria della Misericordia di Udine, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Reccardini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Erminia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ridolo
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Allergologia, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Integrata di Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: GianEnrico
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Senna
authors.affiliation: Pneumologia e Fisiopatologia Respiratoria, Azienda Ospedaliera Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gundi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steinhilber
authors.affiliation: Struttura Complessa di Pneumologia, ASL 2 Savonese, Pietra Ligure (SV), Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milanese
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens