Asthma control and adherence in newly diagnosed young and elderly adult patients with asthma in Turkey

J Asthma. 2019 May;56(5):553-561. doi: 10.1080/02770903.2018.1471707. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the factors that affect asthma control and adherence to treatment in newly diagnosed elderly asthmatics in Turkey compared with younger patients.

Methods: This real-life prospective observational cohort study was conducted at 136 centers. A web-based questionnaire was administered to the patients who were followed up for 12 months.

Results: Analysis included 1037 young adult asthma patients (age <65 years) and 79 elderly asthma patients (age ≥65 years). The percentage of patients with total control in the elderly and young groups were 33.9% and 37.1% at visit 1, 20.0% and 42.1% (p = 0.012) at visit 2, and 50.0% and 49.8% at visit 3, respectively. Adherence to treatment was similar for both groups. Visit compliance was better in the elderly group than in the young group at visit 1 (72.2% vs. 60.8%, p = 0.045), visit 2 (51.9% vs. 34.9%, p = 0.002), and visit 3 (32.9% vs. 19.4%, p = 0.004). Adherence to treatment increased with asthma control in both groups (both p < 0.001) but decreased with the presence of gastritis/ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux, and coronary artery disease in the elderly.

Conclusions: Asthma control and adherence to treatment were similar for the elderly and young asthma patients, though the follow-up rate was lower in young patients. The presence of gastritis/ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux and coronary artery disease had negative impacts on the adherence to treatment in elderly adult patients.

Keywords: Management/control; treatment.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Asthma / drug therapy*
  • Asthma / prevention & control
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medication Adherence / statistics & numerical data*
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Turkey