Allergy Asthma Respir Dis.  2014 Jul;2(3):194-199. 10.4168/aard.2014.2.3.194.

Characteristics of depression and anxiety in elderly asthmatics

• Park EK
• Jo EJ
• Lee SE
• Lee SG
• Mok JH
• Kim MH
• Lee KH
• Kim KU
• Jeon DS
• Kim YS
• Lee MK
• Park HK

• KMID: 2262519
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2014.2.3.194

Abstract

PURPOSE
The prevalence of asthma among the elderly has increased in the aging society. However, limited studies have been conducted regarding the characteristics of elderly asthmatics. In this study, we aimed to evaluate control of asthma, comorbidities, depression and anxiety state, and quality of life in elderly asthmatics.
METHODS
A total of 281 patients who were diagnosed with asthma and treated more than 1 year were enrolled. We evaluated not only clinical characteristics, but also depression, anxiety, and quality of life by using the Beck Depression Inventory-Korean version (K-BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Korean asthma quality of life (KAQLQ), respectively.
RESULTS
Diabetes mellitus (15.2% vs. 6.6%, P=0.020), hypertension (45.5% vs. 18.7%, P<0.001), and heart disease (18.2% vs. 6.0%, P=0.001) were more prevalent comorbidities in elderly asthmatics than young asthmatics. However, there were no differences in the degree of asthma control and lung function between elderly and young asthmatics. K-BDI scores were higher (12.32 vs. 10.99, P=0.020) and KAQLQ was lower (66.60 vs. 68.83, P=0.046) in the elderly asthmatics than in the young asthmatics. Moreover, the low score of asthma control test was significantly associated with depression in the elderly asthmatics (P=0.01).
CONCLUSION
Elderly asthmatics had a higher degree of depression and a lower quality of life. Inadequate control of asthma was associated with depression. To achieve adequate control of asthma, it would be necessary to assess depression in the elderly asthmatics.

Keyword

Aged; Anxiety; Asthma; Depression

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Aging
Anxiety*
Asthma
Comorbidity
Depression*
Diabetes Mellitus
Heart Diseases
Humans
Hypertension
Lung
Prevalence
Quality of Life

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