Elderly and aged asthma have different characteristics: results of a multicenter study.

Background/aim: Characteristics of asthma in the elderly population is not well-known. The aim of the present study was to evaluate asthma in the elderly population, to compare disease characteristics between patients diagnosed <60 (aged asthma) and ≥60 (elderly asthma) years of age. Materials and methods: The study was a prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional type. A questionnaire was filled out to patients 60 years of age and over, that have been followed for asthma for at least 3 months. Asthma Control Test (ACT), eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) was filled out, inhaler device technique was assessed. Results: A total of 399 patients were included from 17 tertiary care centers across the country. Mean age was 67.11 years and 331 (83%) were female. The age at asthma diagnosis was ≥60 in 146 (36.6%) patients. Patients diagnosed ≥60 years were older (p < 0.001), had higher education level (p < 0.001), more commonly had first-degree relative with asthma (p = 0.038), asthma related comorbidities (p = 0.009) and accompanying rhinitis/rhinosinusitis (p = 0.005), had better asthma control (p = 0.001), were using less controller medications (p = 0.014). Inhaler technique was correct in 37% of the patients with no difference in between the groups. Treatment compliance was better in elderly asthma patients (p < 0.001). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, having well-controlled asthma (odds ratio = 1.61, CI = 1.04-2.51), and high medication adherence rate (odds ratio = 2.43, CI = 1.48-4.0) were associated with being in the elderly asthma group. Conclusion: The characteristics of asthma are different among patients aged 60 years and over which seems to be related to onset age of asthma. In our cohort, the elderly asthma patients had higher education level, and treatment adherence and asthma control was better. Patients diagnosed ≥60 years of age did not have more severe disease.

Platin desensitizations in thoracic malignancies and risk factors for breakthrough reactions.

Although platin desensitization is a safe and effective alternative for patients with hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs), sometimes breakthrough reactions (BTRs) can be encountered. However, data about the risk factors for BTRs are limited. The aim of this study is to define the outcomes of desensitization, the characteristics of BTRs, and to identify the risk factors for BTRs with platins in thoracic malignancies. This is a retrospective report of patients with thoracic malignancies who underwent platin desensitization. Patients' demographics, initial HSR characteristics, skin test results, desensitization outcomes, and BTR characteristics were recorded. Thirty-three lung cancer and 14 malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients were included in the study. The culprit drug was cisplatin in 29 and was carboplatin in 18 patients. Skin test positivity was 43.5% with cisplatin, 50% with carboplatin, and it was found to be higher if the interval between the initial HSR and skin testing (ST) was ˃20 days (p = 0.027). One hundred and five desensitization courses were performed. Twenty-two patients had 33 BTRs. Skin test positivity was higher in the BTR-positive group (p = 0.025). BTRs (18.2%; n = 6) were more severe than initial HSR. In the case of epinephrine administration during initial HSR, epinephrine administration during the first BTR was found to be more (p = 0.036). The target dose was achieved in 92.4% of desensitization courses. The number of previous platin infusions ≥10 was found to be an independent risk factor for BTR development (p = 0.036 OR:17.641, 95% CI: 1.211-256.971). Identification of risk factors for BTR will guide appropriate management and desensitization approaches for platin HSRs.

Immediate-type hypersensitivity reactions due to antituberculosis drugs: a successful readministration protocol.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about drug hypersensitivity reactions from antituberculosis drugs. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency, risk factors, and characteristics of immediate-type hypersensitivity reactions from first-line antituberculosis drugs and to evaluate the usefulness of a readministration protocol for culprit drugs in this group of patients. METHODS: The study population consisted of patients with tuberculosis who were hospitalized and treated in the authors' hospital in 2011. Demographics and disease and treatment characteristics of patients with immediate-type hypersensitivity from antituberculosis drugs were compared with the other patients. Culprit drugs were readministered gradually according to a defined protocol to patients with immediate-type hypersensitivity. RESULTS: Tree hundred seventy-nine patients were included in the study. Eighteen immediate-type hypersensitivity reactions were detected in 13 patients (3.43%). The only identified risk factor was female sex (odds ratio 4.085). Isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol were readministered in 11 patients and rifampicin was readministered in 2 patients, with 6- to 8-step protocols for each drug. Only in 2 patients did allergic reactions with rifampicin develop during the procedure. In these patients, after treatment and complete remission of allergic symptoms, the last tolerated dose was administered and the protocol was completed with the same adjustments. CONCLUSION: Immediate-type allergic reactions from antituberculosis drugs are not rare and not related to disease or treatment characteristics. The protocols used in this study provide a useful and safe method for readministration of culprit drugs to patients with antituberculosis drug hypersensitivity.

Relationships between quality of life, sleep problems, and sleep quality in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the sleep quality among chronic urticaria patients using the Chronic Urticaria Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (CU-Q2oL), sleep quality assessment tools, and polysomnography and to investigate any relationships between the obtained results. METHODS: The study included 21 patients diagnosed with chronic spontaneous urticaria and 19 healthy controls. We recorded the patients' sleep quality data, including CU-Q2 oL, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and polysomnography results. RESULT: Patients in the chronic urticaria group were more likely to have an ESS score of ≥10 (52.4% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.004) and an apnea-hypopnea index of ≥5 (44.4% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.017) compared to the control group. In the patient group, the CU-Q2 oL total score was positively correlated with sleep latency (r = 0.713, p = 0.004) and PSQI-C1 score (r = 0.726, p = 0.005), while it was negatively correlated with urticaria duration (r = -0.579, p = 0.015), apnea-hypopnea index (r = -0.607, p = 0.021), longest apnea duration (r = -0.583, p = 0.029), total number of respiratory events (r = -0.618, p = 0.018), and apnea count (r = -0.686, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: We conclude that sleep-related problems exist among a considerably large proportion of patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria.