Pneumologie 2016; 70 - A46
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1592271

Characterization of bronchiectasis in the elderly

G Bellelli 1, JD Chalmers 2, G Sotgiu 3, S Dore 3, MJ McDonnell 4, PC Goeminne 5, K Dimakou 6, D Skrbic 7, A Lombi 8, F Pane 8, D Obradovic 7, TC Fardon 2, RM Rutherford 4, A Pesci 8, S Aliberti 8
  • 1School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan Bicocca, Geriatric Unit, AO San Gerardo, Via Pergolesi 33, Monza, Italy
  • 2Tayside Respiratory Research Group, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 9SY, UK
  • 3Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari – Research, Medical Education and Professional Development Unit, AOU Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • 4Department of Respiratory Medicine, Galway University Hospitals, Newcastle Road, Galway, H91YR71, Ireland
  • 5University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Respiratory Medicine, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
  • 65th Pulmonary Department, “Sotiria” Chest Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • 7Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina Sremska Kamenica, Clinic For General Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine University of Novi Sad, Serbia
  • 8School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan Bicocca, Respiratory Unit, AO San Gerardo, Via Pergolesi 33, Monza, Italy

Background:

Although bronchiectasis particularly affects people ≥65 years of age, data describing clinical characteristics of the disease in this population are lacking. This study aimed at evaluating bronchiectasis features in older adults and elderly, along with their clinical outcomes.

Methods. This was a secondary analysis of six European databases of prospectively enrolled adult outpatients with bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis characteristics were compared across three study groups: younger adults (18 – 65 years), older adults (66 – 75 years), and elderly (and > 76 years). 3-year mortality was the primary study outcome.

Results:

Among 1,258 patients enrolled (median age: 66 years; 42.5% males), 50.9% were > 65 years and 19.1 > 75 years old. Elderly patients were more comorbid, had worse quality of life and died more frequently than the others. Differences were detected among the three study groups with regard to neither the etiology nor the severity of bronchiectasis, nor the prevalence of chronic infection with P. aeruginosa. In multivariate regression model, age (Odds Ratio, O.R: 1.04, 95% Confidence Intervals [CI]: 1.01 – 1.07), low BMI (OR: 2.48, 95% CI: 1.14 – 5.39), previous hospitalizations (OR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.18 – 3.30), low FEV1 (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01 – 1.03) and COPD (OR: 1.98, 95% CI: 1.10 – 3.58) were independent predictors of 3-year mortality, after adjustment for covariates.

Conclusions:

Bronchiectasis does not substantially differ across age groups. Poor outcomes in elderly patients with bronchiectasis might be directly related to individual's frailty that should be further investigated in clinical studies.

*Presenting author.