Older age and obesity are associated with increased airway closure in response to methacholine in patients with asthma.
Publication Title
Respirology (Carlton, Vic.)
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2019
Keywords
Administration, Inhalation; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Asthma; Bronchial Provocation Tests; Bronchoconstrictor Agents; Child; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Male; Methacholine Chloride; Middle Aged; Obesity; Vital Capacity; Young Adult
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The reduction of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV
METHODS: We used the methacholine challenge data from participants in five studies of the ALA-ACRC to determine the closing index, defined as the contribution of airway closure to the decrease in FEV
RESULTS: There were a total of 936 participants with asthma, among whom the median closing index was 0.67 relative to that of a published healthy population of 0.54. A higher closing index was associated with increased age (10-year increments) (0.04, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.05, P < 0.005) and obesity (0.07, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.10, P < 0.001). There was no association between the closing index and asthma control.
CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm that airway closure in response to methacholine occurs in a large, diverse population of asthmatic participants, and that increased airway closure is associated with older age and obesity. These findings suggest that therapies targeting airway closure may be important in patients with a high closing index.
Specialty/Research Institute
Pulmonary Medicine
Specialty/Research Institute
Critical Care Medicine
