HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Article Archive Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (9) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Renwick, D. S. Articles by Connolly, M. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Renwick, D. S. Articles by Connolly, M. J.

The Relationship Between Age and Bronchial Responsiveness^*

Evidence From a Population Survey

^* From the University Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Barnes Hospital, Manchester, UK.

Objectives: Increased bronchial responsiveness is a feature of symptomatic asthma, and it predicts the onset of wheezing. We have investigated the relationship between bronchial responsiveness and age in a population sample with an age range of 45 to 86 years.

Design: Cross-sectional population survey.

Setting: Population of Central Manchester, UK.

Participants: An age-stratified random sample of white adults aged 45 years old and living in Central Manchester. They were recruited from their primary care physician (general practitioner) lists. Patients with confusion and patients who were housebound were excluded.

Measurements: Respondents to a mail questionnaire were invited to attend a methacholine bronchial challenge performed using the Newcastle dosimeter method. Respondents with ischemic heart disease or respondents taking oral steroids, ß-blockers, or anticholinergic medication were excluded.

Results: Of the 783 subjects contacted, 92.3% of the subjects responded, and 508 subjects returned enough information for us to deduce their suitability for the bronchial challenge. Of the 395 suitable subjects, 247 subjects participated (62.5% of those invited; 31.5% of the study population), and 208 participants completed the bronchial challenge. Participants were slightly younger than nonparticipants, but they were otherwise representative of the population. Increased bronchial responsiveness (provocative dose of methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV₁ 200 µg) was present in 71 (34.1%) participants. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed weak, independent, positive associations between bronchial responsiveness and age, and between bronchial responsiveness and the total immunoglobulin E level. There was an independent negative relationship between bronchial responsiveness and the airways caliber (expressed as standardized residuals; R² = 0.29).

Conclusions: We have found a high prevalence of increased bronchial responsiveness in this inner-city population of older adults. Bronchial responsiveness showed a weak independent positive association with age.

Key Words: aged • bronchial responsiveness • epidemiology

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. Scichilone, M. Messina, S. Battaglia, F. Catalano, and V. Bellia Airway hyperresponsiveness in the elderly: prevalence and clinical implications Eur. Respir. J., February 1, 2005; 25(2): 364 - 375. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Cuttitta, F. Cibella, V. Bellia, V. Grassi, S. Cossi, S. Bucchieri, and G. Bonsignore Changes in FVC During Methacholine-Induced Bronchoconstriction in Elderly Patients With Asthma : Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness and Aging Chest, June 1, 2001; 119(6): 1685 - 1690. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]