Asthma in the elderly: Current understanding and future research needs—a report of a National Institute on Aging (NIA) workshop

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 128; no. 3; pp. S4 - S24
• Main Authors: Hanania, Nicola A., King, Monroe J., Braman, Sidney S., Saltoun, Carol, Wise, Robert A., Enright, Paul, Falsey, Ann R., Mathur, Sameer K., Ramsdell, Joe W., Rogers, Linda, Stempel, David A., Lima, John J., Fish, James E., Wilson, Sandra R., Boyd, Cynthia, Patel, Kushang V., Irvin, Charles G., Yawn, Barbara P., Halm, Ethan A., Wasserman, Stephen I., Sands, Mark F., Ershler, William B., Ledford, Dennis K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01.09.2011; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited; American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc
• Subjects: Age; Age of Onset; Aged; Aging; air flow; airway; allergy; Allergy and Immunology; asthma; Asthma - epidemiology; Asthma - physiopathology; Asthma - psychology; Asthma - therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical Research; Comorbidity; Disease; disease course; Divisions; DNA repair; elderly; Epidemiology; Frail Elderly; Frailty; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Heart; Humans; immune mechanisms; Immune System - physiopathology; Immunopathology; immunosenescence; Medical sciences; National Institute on Aging (U.S.); Older people; patients; Phenotype; Population Surveillance; Psychology; Respiratory Tract Diseases - complications; Risk Factors; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Senescence; Severity of Illness Index; Sickness Impact Profile; Skin; United States; United States; United States > US; California; TENOR; NO; LTM; airway; elderly; immune mechanisms; NIA; allergy; ADL; asthma; GERD; immunosenescence; FVC; RSV; Aging; hMPV; LSA; COPD; LOA; Forced vital capacity; Leukotriene-modifying agent; National Institute on Aging; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Activities of daily living; The Epidemiology and Natural History of Asthma; Longstanding asthma; Late-onset asthma; Respiratory syncytial virus; Gastroesophageal reflux disease; Nitric oxide; Human metapneumovirus; Immunopathology; Immunology
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.06.048

Asthma in the elderly is underdiagnosed and undertreated, and there is a paucity of knowledge on the subject. The National Institute on Aging convened this workshop to identify what is known and what gaps in knowledge remain and suggest research directions needed to improve the understanding and care of asthma in the elderly. Asthma presenting at an advanced age often has similar clinical and physiologic consequences as seen with younger patients, but comorbid illnesses and the psychosocial effects of aging might affect the diagnosis, clinical presentation, and care of asthma in this population. At least 2 phenotypes exist among elderly patients with asthma; those with longstanding asthma have more severe airflow limitation and less complete reversibility than those with late-onset asthma. Many challenges exist in the recognition and treatment of asthma in the elderly. Furthermore, the pathophysiologic mechanisms of asthma in the elderly are likely to be different from those seen in young asthmatic patients, and these differences might influence the clinical course and outcomes of asthma in this population.