Association of alcohol use with olfactory function among older adults.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Olfactory dysfunction (OD) has been recognized as an early biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases. Identifying behaviors that increase the risk of OD is crucial for early recognition of neurogenerative diseases. Alcohol consumption can potentially impact olfaction through its neurotoxic effects. This study aims to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and OD, using data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on data for 2757 adults from Round 1 of NSHAP. OD was defined as correctly identifying 0-3 odors in the 5-item Sniffin' Sticks test while normal olfactory function was defined as correctly identifying 4-5 odors. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to examine the association between alcohol consumption and OD, controlling for age, race, and comorbidities. Analyses were weighted to account for the sampling design. RESULTS: OD was present in 23.1 % of adults. The average age among those with OD was 71.2 ± 7.8 years, compared to 66.9 ± 7.2 years in those with normal olfaction. In terms of alcohol consumption, 31.1 % of adults with OD were light-to-moderate drinkers and 7.7 % were heavy drinkers, compared to 35.6 % light-to-moderate and 7.7 % heavy drinkers in the normal olfaction group. After adjusting for age, gender, race, and education, neither light-to-moderate drinking (aOR: 0.99; 95 % CI: 0.76-1.29) nor heavy drinking (aOR: 1.24; 95 % CI: 0.83-1.85) were significantly associated with OD. CONCLUSION: Alcohol consumption was not associated with OD after controlling for covariates. While this study provides insight into the relationship between alcohol consumption and OD, further research is needed due to conflicting results in previous studies.

Global Considerations in Asthma Treatment: Management in Low Resource Settings.

Low-resource settings have a disproportionately higher burden of asthma due to factors that include environmental triggers, access to healthcare, availability of medications, and uncoordinated health systems. The application of guideline-based management can vary, which further impacts the treatment delivered. This chapter aims to outline the global landscape of asthma management, including cultural and social factors, with suggestions for interventions.

Associations of community-level particulate matter with high-acuity visit presentation for sinusitis.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to particulate matter <2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) has been linked to increased sinusitis prevalence and morbidity. However, studies analyzing environmental exposures and sinusitis have not explored the effect of PM2.5 on healthcare presentation patterns. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to characterize the relationship of community-level PM2.5 with high-acuity visits in sinusitis patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis based on medical records of 2092 adults presenting with chronic rhinosinusitis, acute rhinosinusitis, or sinus/nasal polyps to an urban academic medical center from 2010 to 2019 was conducted. We linked medical records (individual-level) with data on PM2.5 exposure at the community level, using residential zip-code data from the Chicago Health Atlas covering the years 2015-2019. Multivariable binary logistic regression with Generalized Estimating Equations examined adjusted associations between PM2.5 and high-acuity visits - including emergency department and inpatient settings. RESULTS: Our sample was 69 % female, with a mean age of 46.9 years. From 2015 to 2019, the average PM2.5 exposure in zip-codes examined was 11.66 µg/m3 with a range of 11.14-11.79 µg/m3. In adjusted models, odds of a high-acuity visit were significantly higher in patients residing in zip-codes in the top tertile of PM2.5 exposure compared to the bottom tertile (OR: 1.74; CI: 1.20-2.51). CONCLUSION: Community-level PM2.5 exposure was associated with high-acuity visits among sinusitis patients. These associations need to be studied through more rigorous, prospective investigations, as they may have potential public health implications and underscore a need to mitigate PM2.5 exposures at a community-level.

Impact of interventions targeting anxiety and depression in adults with asthma.

OBJECTIVE: High rates of anxiety and depression exist among asthma patient populations. This scoping review will examine the existing interventional therapies that address depression and anxiety symptoms in patients with asthma. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane, Psychinfo, CINAHL, Google Scholar and EMBASE databases were searched using the following search terms: 'anxiety asthma', 'panic disorder asthma' and 'depression asthma' with a randomized clinical trial filter and additional filters to exclude exclusion criteria. STUDY SELECTIONS: Study selections included only randomized control trials with anxiety and/or depression and/or panic disorder outcomes as primary or secondary outcomes. Only full-text articles in the English language were included. RESULTS: This search yielded interventions from pharmacologic (n = 3), psychological (n = 7), lifestyle medicine (n = 10) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM; n = 1) using a range of outcomes from physiologic to psychologic. While the pharmacologic and CAM studies were inconclusive, psychologic and lifestyle interventions showed improvements in asthma (quality of life, symptoms, asthma attacks) and psychological (anxiety, panic fear, depression) outcomes. Variations in selection methods, outcome measures and diagnostic criteria hindered a direct comparison of the studies. Most studies had small sample sizes, high attrition rates and short study durations. CONCLUSION: There is limited evidence on best approaches for managing co-morbid anxiety and/or depression in patients with asthma. Psychological and lifestyle medicine interventions are promising with improvements in both asthma and mental health outcomes. Well-designed randomized controlled studies with larger sample sizes, standardized outcomes and longer durations, are needed to better understand the role of depression and anxiety in adults with asthma.

Asthma and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Overlap: What Has the Evidence Taught Us?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and asthma are highly prevalent chronic respiratory disorders. Beyond their frequent coexistence arising from their high prevalence and shared risk factors, these disorders feature a reciprocal interaction whereby each disease impacts the severity of the other. Emerging evidence implicates airway and systemic inflammation, neuroimmune interactions, and effects of asthma-controlling medications (corticosteroids) as factors that predispose patients with asthma to OSA. Conversely, undiagnosed or inadequately treated OSA adversely affects asthma control, partly via effects of intermittent hypoxia on airway inflammation and tissue remodeling. In this article, we review multiple lines of recently published evidence supporting this interaction. We provide a set of recommendations for clinicians involved in the care of adults with asthma, and identify critical gaps in our knowledge about this overlap.

Wearable Technology and How This Can Be Implemented into Clinical Practice.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Our day-to-day life is saturated with health data that was previously out of reach. Over the last decade, new devices and fitness technology companies are attempting to tap into this data, uncovering a treasure trove of useful information that, when applied correctly, has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach healthcare and chronic conditions like asthma, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. RECENT FINDINGS: By harnessing exciting developments in personalization, digitization, wellness, and patient engagement, care providers can improve health outcomes for our patients in a way we have never been able to do in the past. While new technologies to capture individual health metrics are everywhere, how can we use this information to make a real difference in our patients' lives? Navigating the complicated landscape of personal wearable devices, asthma inhaler sensors, and exercise apps can be daunting to even the most tech savvy physician. This manuscript will give you the tools necessary to make lasting changes in your patients' lives by exposing them to a world of usable, affordable, and relatable health technology that resonates with their personal fitness and wellness goals. These tools will be even more important post-COVID-19, as the landscape of clinical outpatient care changes from mainly in-person visits to a greater reliance on telemedicine and remote monitoring.

Asthma in the older adult.

Objective: The older adult population is increasing worldwide, and a significant percentage has asthma. This review will discuss the challenges to diagnosis and management of asthma in older adults. Data Sources: PubMed was searched for multiple terms in various combinations, including asthma, older adult, elderly, comorbid conditions, asthma diagnosis, asthma treatment, biologics and medication side effects, and adverse events. From the search, the data sources that were utilized included peer reviewed scholarly review articles, peer reviewed scientific research articles, and peer reviewed book chapters. Study Selections: Study selections that were utilized included peer reviewed scholarly review articles, peer reviewed scientific research articles, and peer reviewed book chapters. Results: Asthma in older adults is frequently underdiagnosed and has higher morbidity and mortality rates compared to their younger counterparts. A detailed history and physical examination as well as judicious testing are essential to establish the asthma diagnosis and exclude alternative ones. Medical comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, depression, arthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), rhinitis, and sinusitis are common in this population and should also be assessed and treated. Non-pharmacologic management, including asthma education on inhaler technique and self-monitoring, is vital. Pharmacologic management includes standard asthma therapies such as inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), inhaled corticosteroid-long acting ß-agonist combinations (ICS-LABA), leukotriene antagonists, long acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA), and short acting bronchodilators (SABA). Newly approved biologic agents may also be utilized. Older adults are more vulnerable to polypharmacy and medication adverse events, and this should be taken into account when selecting the appropriate asthma treatment. Conclusions: The diagnosis and management of asthma in older adults has certain challenges, but if the clinician is aware of them, the morbidity and mortality of this condition can be improved in this growing population.

Exacerbation-prone asthma in the context of race and ancestry in Asthma Clinical Research Network trials.

BACKGROUND: Minority groups of African descent experience disproportionately greater asthma morbidity compared with other racial groups, suggesting that genetic variation from a common ancestry could influence exacerbation risk. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated clinical trial measures in the context of self-reported race and genetic ancestry to identify risk factors for asthma exacerbations. METHODS: One thousand eight hundred forty multiethnic subjects from 12 Asthma Clinical Research Network and AsthmaNet trials were analyzed for incident asthma exacerbations with Poisson regression models that included clinical measures, self-reported race (black, non-Hispanic white, and other), and estimates of global genetic African ancestry in a subgroup (n = 760). RESULTS: Twenty-four percent of 1840 subjects self-identified as black. Black and white subjects had common risk factors for exacerbations, including a history of 2 or more exacerbations in the previous year and FEV1 percent predicted values, whereas chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease were only associated with increased exacerbation risk in black subjects. In the combined multiethnic cohort, neither race (P = .30) nor percentage of genetic African ancestry as a continuous variable associated with exacerbation risk (adjusted rate ratio [RR], 1.26 [95% CI, 0.94-1.70; P = .13]; RR per 1-SD change [32% ancestry], 0.97 [95% CI, 0.78-1.19; P = .74]). However, in 161 black subjects with genetic data, those with African ancestry greater than the median (≥82%) had a significantly greater risk of exacerbation (RR, 3.06 [95% CI, 1.09-8.6; P = .03]). CONCLUSION: Black subjects have unique risk factors for asthma exacerbations, of which global African genetic ancestry had the strongest effect.

Comparative effectiveness trials in asthma - how will I recognize one?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Comparative efficacy trials are designed to evaluate the harms and benefits of health care in a research environment. There is increasing interest in the results of comparative effectiveness trials, which are intended to fill gaps in evidence to inform decision-making in real-life clinical environments. The objective of this report is to review various tools to classify trials along the efficacy to effectiveness continuum. RECENT FINDINGS: Three tools [Pragmatic-Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary (PRECIS), PRECIS-2, and PRAgmatic Clinical Trial Assessment Scale (PRACTAS)] are available that use a star diagram to illustrate where each element of a clinical trial design falls along the efficacy to effectiveness continuum (e.g., selectivity of eligibility criteria, supports to promote participant adherence). The number and type of design element to be classified varies (e.g., 10 elements for PRECIS and PRACTAS vs. nine elements for PRECIS-2; only the PRACTAS tool includes stakeholder engagement). There is substantial interrater reliability when using all three tools and interrater reliability varies across the different design elements (intraclass correlation of coefficient 0.4-0.8). SUMMARY: The PRECIS, PRECIS-2, and PRACTAS tools are options when classifying trials along the efficacy to effectiveness continuum. Researchers and decision-making stakeholders are likely to disagree about the extent to which clinical trials employ efficacy or effectiveness designs.

A computable phenotype for asthma case identification in adult and pediatric patients: External validation in the Chicago Area Patient-Outcomes Research Network (CAPriCORN).

Objective: Comprehensive, rapid, and accurate identification of patients with asthma for clinical care and engagement in research efforts is needed. The original development and validation of a computable phenotype for asthma case identification occurred at a single institution in Chicago and demonstrated excellent test characteristics. However, its application in a diverse payer mix, across different health systems and multiple electronic health record vendors, and in both children and adults was not examined. The objective of this study is to externally validate the computable phenotype across diverse Chicago institutions to accurately identify pediatric and adult patients with asthma. Methods: A cohort of 900 asthma and control patients was identified from the electronic health record between January 1, 2012 and November 30, 2014. Two physicians at each site independently reviewed the patient chart to annotate cases. Results: The inter-observer reliability between the physician reviewers had a κ-coefficient of 0.95 (95% CI 0.93-0.97). The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of the computable phenotype were all above 94% in the full cohort. Conclusions: The excellent positive and negative predictive values in this multi-center external validation study establish a useful tool to identify asthma cases in in the electronic health record for research and care. This computable phenotype could be used in large-scale comparative-effectiveness trials.

Race is associated with differences in airway inflammation in patients with asthma.

BACKGROUND: African American subjects have a greater burden from asthma compared with white subjects. Whether the pattern of airway inflammation differs between African American and white subjects is unclear. OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare sputum airway inflammatory phenotypes of African American and white subjects treated or not with inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs; ICS+ and ICS-, respectively). METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of self-identified African American and white subjects with asthma enrolled in clinical trials conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored Asthma Clinical Research Network and AsthmaNet. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and sputum cytology after sputum induction were examined. We used a sputum eosinophil 2% cut point to define subjects with either an eosinophilic (≥2%) or noneosinophilic (<2%) inflammatory phenotype. RESULTS: Among 1018 participants, African American subjects (n = 264) had a lower FEV1 percent predicted (80% vs 85%, P < .01), greater total IgE levels (197 vs 120 IU/mL, P < .01), and a greater proportion with uncontrolled asthma (43% vs 28%, P < .01) compared with white subjects (n = 754). There were 922 subjects in the ICS+ group (248 African American and 674 white subjects) and 298 subjects in the ICS- group (49 African American and 249 white subjects). Eosinophilic airway inflammation was not significantly different between African American and white subjects in either group (percentage with eosinophilic phenotype: ICS+ group: 19% vs 16%, P = .28; ICS- group: 39% vs 35%, P = .65; respectively). However, when adjusted for confounding factors, African American subjects were more likely to exhibit eosinophilic airway inflammation than white subjects in the ICS+ group (odds ratio, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.01-2.48; P = .046) but not in the ICS- group (P = .984). CONCLUSION: African American subjects exhibit greater eosinophilic airway inflammation, which might explain the greater asthma burden in this population.

Care transition interventions for children with asthma in the emergency department.

The emergency department (ED) is a critical point of identification and treatment for some of the most high-risk children with asthma. This review summarizes the evidence regarding care transition interventions originating in the ED for children with uncontrolled asthma, with a focus on care coordination and self-management education. Although many interventions on care transition for pediatric asthma have been tested, only a few were actually conducted in the ED setting. Most of these targeted both care coordination and self-management education but ultimately did not improve attendance at follow-up appointments with primary care providers, improve asthma control, or reduce health care utilization. Conducting any ED-based intervention in the current environment is challenging because of the many demands on ED providers and staff, poor communication within and outside of the medical sector, and caregiver/patient burden. The evidence to date suggests that ED care transition interventions should consider expanding beyond the ED to bridge the multiple sectors children with asthma navigate, including health care settings, homes, schools, and community spaces. Patient-centered approaches may also be important to ensure adequate intervention design, enrollment, retention, and evaluation of outcomes important to children and their families.

Researching asthma across the ages: insights from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Asthma Network.

Clinical asthma studies across different age groups (ie, cross-age studies) can potentially offer insight into the similarities, differences, and relationships between childhood and adult asthma. The National Institutes of Health's Asthma Research Network (AsthmaNet) is unique and innovative in that it has merged pediatric and adult asthma research into a single clinical research network. This combination enhances scientific exchange between pediatric and adult asthma investigators and encourages the application of cross-age studies that involve participants from multiple age groups who are generally not studied together. The experience from AsthmaNet in the development of cross-age protocols highlights some of the issues in the evaluation of cross-age research in asthma. The aim of this review is to summarize these challenges, including the selection of parallel cross-age clinical interventions, identification of appropriate controls, measurement of meaningful clinical outcomes, and various ethical and logistic issues.

Housing Insecurity and Asthma Outcomes.

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease with widespread prevalence that affects children, adolescents, and adults. Asthma morbidity and mortality can be exacerbated in the setting of housing insecurity. In this Grand Rounds Review article, we present a case and discuss the implications that housing insecurity has on asthma outcomes in the United States. We then highlight ways in which providers can advocate for patients with asthma and housing insecurity.

Understanding Health Equity in Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are measures of patients' health that are conveyed directly by individual patients. These measures serve as instruments to evaluate the impact of interventions on any aspect of patients' health, from specific symptoms to broader quality of life indicators. However, their effectiveness relies on capturing relevant factors accurately. Whereas they are commonly used in clinical trials, PROs extend their influence across health care settings, informing clinicians, health care payers, regulators, and administrators to guide quality improvement and reimbursement decisions. Neglecting health equity considerations in PRO development and implementation widens health disparities, leading to biased interpretations, medical mismanagement, and poor health outcomes among marginalized groups. To foster equitable health care, efforts must focus on considering the values of underrepresented populations in PRO design, addressing barriers to completion, enhancing representation in research, providing cultural competency training for clinicians, and allocating research funding to support health equity research. By addressing these issues, advances can be made toward fostering inclusive, equitable health care for all individuals.

Rhinitis in older adults.

Rhinitis symptoms of rhinorrhea, congestion, sneezing, nasal/ocular pruritis, and postnasal drainage can significantly affect the quality of life for older adults. As the US population ages, it will be increasingly important for health-care providers to effectively diagnose and manage rhinitis. Rhinitis is categorized broadly into allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis. Environmental changes and avoidance measures are a primary means of intervention. In addition, there are several topical therapies (nasal sprays) that can be effective for symptom control.