Abstract

Despite the frequent occurrence of late-onset asthma (LOA), diagnosis generally remains unrecognized and overlooked. This may be explained by the lack of clinical and functional features of the disease in the elderly and high prevalence of associated cardiac or other respiratory diseases. In this retrospective study, we investigated the clinical features of LOA and its differences with early onset asthma (EOA). Various clinical parameters were compared in 50 subjects with EOA in which asthma was diagnosed in the first decades of life and 52 subjects with LOA in which asthma was diagnosed after 50 years of age. LOA was found significantly more frequent in women (p<0.01). The history of allergic disease in family was significantly higher in the subjects with EOA (66% vs. 25%, p<0.001). Frequency of allergic rhinitis was higher in subjects with EOA (36% vs. 15.3%, p<0.05). FEV1 values were lower in LOA group (p<0.001). Environmental allergens were found as primary triggers in EOA (72% vs. 32.7%, p<0.001) and positive skin prick test was significantly more frequent in this group (p<0.05). Infections were found as primary triggers in subjects with LOA. In conclusion, some differences in clinical features were found between EOA and LOA. LOA is more severe than EOA and the prevalence of atopy and allergic diseases is lower than EOA.