A History of Ischemic Heart Disease is a Common Cause of Wheezing in the Elderly of a Japanese Local Community

Abstract

Objective We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate which factors have a significant impact on wheezing and QOL in the elderly of a Japanese local community. Methods In 2008, 527 participants (250 participants aged 45 to 64 years and 277 participants aged 65 to 88 years) responded to the questionnaire regarding wheezing and disease history. QOL was evaluated by the Short Form-8. The participants underwent airway reversibility testing. The plasma levels of IgE were measured. The plasma levels of N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were measured in twenty-one participants with a history of ischemic heart disease and in thirty-five age-matched participants without that history. Results Wheezing was reported by 50 (9.5%) participants and was associated with a lower score of QOL. In multivariate analysis, wheezing was associated with sex (OR 3.12, CI 1.10-9.67) and a history of bronchial asthma (OR 22.3, CI 6.50-84.0) among participants aged 45 to 64 years. Among participants aged 65 and over, wheezing was associated with a history of bronchial asthma (OR 4.86, CI 1.39-15.1) and ischemic heart disease (OR 5.12, CI 1.61-15.0). Participants with both a history of ischemic heart disease and wheezing showed higher levels of N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. Airway reversibility was only associated with a history of ischemic heart disease (OR 4.65, CI 1.26-17.6). Conclusion It is suggested that bronchial asthma and heart disease are both significant causes of wheezing and affect the QOL in the elderly of a Japanese local community.

Association of serum adiponectin with asthma and pulmonary function in the Japanese population

“…d Parameters were transformed logarithmically before analysis. chodilator test as previously reported [28]. However, among the subjects in group 1, seventy-nine of the 570 subjects (13.9%) were excluded based on the exclusion criteria as previously reported [28], and 491 subjects underwent the bronchodilator test.…”

“…chodilator test as previously reported [28]. However, among the subjects in group 1, seventy-nine of the 570 subjects (13.9%) were excluded based on the exclusion criteria as previously reported [28], and 491 subjects underwent the bronchodilator test. An increase in the FEV1 by 12% of the baseline value and 0.2 L was considered to represent significant airway reversibility.…”

“…A total of 570 members from the general population of Fuchu town in Toyama, Japan, participated in a cohort study conducted in 2008, as previously reported (group 1) [27,28] (Fig. 1).…”

“…Murine studies have shown that the adiponectin-asthma association is bidirectional, whereby exogenous adiponectin attenuates airway changes in asthma and allergeninduced bronchoprovocation decreases adiponectin concentrations [5,6]. In humans, high levels of adiponectin have reportedly been associated with reduced odds of asthma in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women in cross-sectional studies [7,8], and low serum previous study (group 1) [27,28], we compared the serum total adiponectin level between asthmatic subjects and non-asthmatic subjects and analyzed the association of the serum total adiponectin level with pulmonary function, including airway reversibility. Second, we enrolled another cohort (group 2) consisting of asthmatic subjects who regularly attended outpatient clinics and non-asthmatic subjects and compared the levels of total, HMW, MMW and LMW adiponectin and the ratio of each adiponectin isoform to the total adiponectin level between the asthmatic and non-asthmatic subjects.…”