Prevalence of asthma and its association with rhinitis in the elderly

Funding Information: Funding: Methodological support and field work was supplied by KeyPoint, Scientific Consultants. This study was supported by a Schering-Plough Pharma grant attributed to Sociedade Portuguesa de Alergologia e Imunologia Clinica (SPAIC).Background Asthma and rhinitis are frequent respiratory diseases in children and adults. Despite the increase in the aging population, there are few epidemiologic data on both diseases in the elderly. So far, no population-based study has analyzed the association between asthma and rhinitis symptoms and severity in this age group. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma in the population aged ≥65 years in mainland Portugal and to evaluate its association with the presence and classification of rhinitis according to ARIA recommendations, in this age group. Methods A cross-sectional, nationwide, population-based survey of individuals aged ≥65 years, living in mainland Portugal was performed. Results Data were obtained from 3678 respondents. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma was 10.9% (95% confidence interval (95%CI) 9.9-11.9). The frequency of asthma diagnosis increased with the number of nasal symptoms (p < 0.001). A strong association between asthma and rhinitis was found (odds ratio (OR) 13.86 (95%CI 10.66-18.02)). The strength of this association increased with the persistence and severity of rhinitis, being particularly high in elderly subjects with moderate-severe persistent rhinitis (OR 39.9 (95%CI 27.5-58.0)). Conclusions Asthma is common in the elderly and strongly associated with rhinitis. The OR for asthma is especially high in persistent and severe ARIA classification rhinitis types. This study strengthens the need for an integrated assessment of asthma together with rhinitis in the elderly.publishersversionpublishe

Prevalence and classification of rhinitis in the elderly: a nationwide survey in Portugal

BACKGROUND: Nationwide epidemiologic data on rhinitis in the elderly do not exist. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of rhinitis in the population aged 65 years or above in mainland Portugal and to characterize and classify rhinitis in this age group. METHODS: Cross-sectional, nationwide, population-based survey of citizens aged 65 years or above, living in mainland Portugal. Current rhinitis (CR) was defined as the presence of at least two symptoms: 'repeated sneezing and itchy nose', 'blocked nose for more than one whole hour', or 'runny nose when not having a cold or flu', either usually or in the last 12 months. Rhinitis severity was assessed using a visual analogue scale; rhinitis was classified according to ARIA. RESULTS: Data were obtained from 3678 responders (92.5% response rate). The prevalence of CR was 29.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 28.4%-31.3%): 49.1% had mild intermittent, 7.0% mild persistent, 27.5% moderate-severe intermittent, and 16.4% moderate-severe persistent rhinitis. Only 38.6% of patients with CR had been physician diagnosed and 38.7% were under treatment for this disease in the previous year. Allergic conjunctivitis symptoms were referred by 68.6% of subjects with CR (rhinoconjunctivitis population prevalence, 20.5% (95% CI: 19.2%-21.8%)). CONCLUSIONS: Rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis are common but underdiagnosed and undertreated diseases in the geriatric population. This was the first nationwide epidemiological survey classifying rhinitis according to ARIA guidelines in this age group. More than 40% of old-age patients presented moderate-severe disease

Consumo e gênero: uma revisão da produção historiográfica recente sobre a América Latina no século XX

A partir de una revisión de la producción historiográfica reciente que estudia el siglo XX, este artículo muestra la relevancia del género para la construcción de una historia del consumo en América Latina. Con este objetivo, se enfoca el análisis en tres líneas de investigación que, desde una aproximación interseccional, aportan nuevas miradas y preguntas: la primera destaca la dimensión política del consumo, centrándose en la relación entre género y clase; la segunda aborda consumo y trabajo doméstico, señalando el vínculo entre género y nación; y la tercera analiza cultura material y corporalidades, destacando la articulación entre género y edad.Starting from a recent historiographical production’s revision studying the 20th Century, this article depicts the relevance of gender for the history of consumption-building in Latin America. Bearing that in mind, the analysis is geared to three researching lines, contributing with new perspectives and questions, as from an inter sectorial approach: the first one highlights the political dimension of consumption based upon the interaction between gender and class; the second addresses consumption and domestic work, displaying a link between gender and nation, and the third one analyses material culture and corporality emphasizing upon the articulation between gender and age.A partir de uma revisão da produção historiográfica recente que estuda o século XX, este artigo mostra a relevância do gênero para a construção de uma história do consumo na América Latina. Com esse objetivo, a análise está focada em três linhas de pesquisa que, sob uma aproximação interseccional, contribuem com novos olhares e perguntas: a primeira destaca a dimensão política do consumo e foca-se na relação gênero e classe; a segunda aborda consumo e trabalho doméstico, e sinaliza o vínculo entre gênero e nação; a terceira analisa cultura material e corporalidade, e destaca a articulação entre gênero e idade.Fil: Pérez, Inés. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Humanidades. Departamento de Sociologia; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Humanidades. Departamento de Historia. Centro de Estudios Históricos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata; Argentin

Improved Transition Management of Adolescents and Young Adults With Allergy and/or Asthma: An EAACI Task Force Report on a Follow‐Up European Survey

Background: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with asthma and allergies have unexpectedly high mortality and morbidity. A survey in 2019 amongst healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Europe highlighted significant gaps in transition care, which negatively impacts patients' outcomes. Since then, an evidence‐based guideline and practical toolbox for effective transition of AYA with asthma and allergies have been published. Aims: To assess HCPs' perspectives, practice and challenges on transition care for AYA with asthma and allergies, including the impact of the recent guideline, potential differences across countries and changes since 2019. Methods: Cross‐sectional online survey‐based study. European HCP managing AYA with allergies and/or asthma were invited to participate in May–June 2023. Results: 511 responses were collected. Amongst respondents, 60%–70% were familiar with the guideline and toolbox, and found them helpful. At least for selected patients, 50%–85% of respondents adhered to some guideline recommendations and initiatives/resources for transition care such as simplifying medication regimes, seeing AYA on their own or producing transition reports. We observed improvements compared to 2019 in areas such as prioritising transition, training, assessment of psychosocial issues and transition readiness, access to other HCP, transfer and post‐transfer feedback systems. However, 20% of respondents had no transition process and around 50% had no transition‐specific elements. Sixty percent found transition care ‘very’ or ‘moderately challenging’, with transition not being prioritised, time constraints and limited expertise on psychosocial issues as leading problems. Significant differences were observed in transition practice across countries. Conclusion: Despite improvement in training and approach towards transition care, challenges and limitations persist in effectively implementing evidence‐based guidelines. Raising greater awareness about the need for, and the positive impact of high‐quality transition care amongst policy‐makers, HCP, and patients/families remains a key priority to unlock resources for training and effective implementation at a national/international level

Rock snot and lake mud: exploring the history of recent blooms of didymosphenia geminata using information contained in lake sediments

Ecosystem managers have often considered the nuisance diatom species, Didymosphenia gemi¬nata (didymo) as being introduced to the natural environment through human activities; however, observations from early 20th-century surveys challenge this characterization. We use diatoms pre¬served in lake sediment cores to investigate the history of didymo blooms from Gaspésie, Quebec. Relative abundances of diatoms were examined from the dated sediments of Lac Humqui and Lac au Saumon (a lake with an inflowing river currently supporting blooms). Didymo was observed throughout the Lac au Saumon core, demonstrating that it has been present in the region well before the first reports of blooms in 2006. Lac Humqui diatom assemblages experienced a shift in composition with declines in benthic taxa (attached to substrates) and increases in planktonic (free floating) diatoms that began ~1970. Strong relationships between this diatom shift, and increases in regional air temperatures and earlier river ice-out dates were consistent with the expected effects of climate warming on aquatic systems. Our paleolimnological evidence shows that climate warming, rather than human introduction, likely plays an important role in triggering didymo blooms

The effectiveness of interventions to improve self-management for adolescents and young adults with allergic conditions:a systematic review

BACKGROUND: This systematic review aimed to review the literature on interventions for improving self-management and well-being in adolescents and young adults (11-25 years) with asthma and allergic conditions. METHODS: A systematic literature search was undertaken across eight databases. References were checked by two reviewers for inclusion. Study data were extracted, and their quality was assessed in duplicate. A narrative synthesis was undertaken. RESULTS: A total of 30 papers reporting data from 27 studies were included. Interventions types were psychological (k = 9); e-health (k = 8); educational (k = 4); peer-led (k = 5); breathing re-training (k = 1). All interventions were for asthma. Psychological interventions resulted in significant improvements in the intervention group compared with the control group for self-esteem, quality of life, self-efficacy, coping strategies, mood and asthma symptoms. E-Health interventions reported significant improvements for inhaler technique, adherence and quality of life. General educational interventions demonstrated significantly improved quality of life, management of asthma symptoms, controller medication use, increased use of a written management plan and reduction in symptoms. The peer-led interventions included the Triple A (Adolescent Asthma Action) programme and a peer-led camp based on the Power Breathing Programme. Improvements were found for self-efficacy, school absenteeism and quality of life. CONCLUSION: Although significant improvements were seen for all intervention types, many were small feasibility or pilot studies, few studies reported effect sizes and no studies for allergic conditions other than asthma met the inclusion criteria. Research using large longitudinal interventional designs across the range of allergic conditions is required to strengthen the evidence base

Underground testing : name-altering practices as probes in electronic music

Name-altering practices are common in many creative fields – pen names in literature, stage names in the performing arts, aliases in music. More than just reflecting artistic habits or responding to the need for distinctive brands, these practices can also serve as test devices to probe, validate, and guide the artists’ active participation in a cultural movement. At the same time, they constitute a powerful probe to negotiate the boundaries of a subculture, especially when its features are threatened by appropriation from the mass-oriented culture. Drawing evidence from electronic music, a field where name-altering practices proliferate, we outline dynamics of pseudonymity, polyonymy, and anonymity that surround the use of aliases. We argue that name-altering practices are both a tool artists use to probe the creative environment and a device to recursively put one’s creative participation to the test. In the context of creative subcultures, name-altering practices constitute a subtle but effective form of underground testing

Prevalence of asthma and its association with rhinitis in the elderly

SummaryBackgroundAsthma and rhinitis are frequent respiratory diseases in children and adults. Despite the increase in the aging population, there are few epidemiologic data on both diseases in the elderly. So far, no population-based study has analyzed the association between asthma and rhinitis symptoms and severity in this age group. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma in the population aged ≥65 years in mainland Portugal and to evaluate its association with the presence and classification of rhinitis according to ARIA recommendations, in this age group.MethodsA cross-sectional, nationwide, population-based survey of individuals aged ≥65 years, living in mainland Portugal was performed.ResultsData were obtained from 3678 respondents. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma was 10.9% (95% confidence interval (95%CI) 9.9–11.9). The frequency of asthma diagnosis increased with the number of nasal symptoms (p < 0.001). A strong association between asthma and rhinitis was found (odds ratio (OR) 13.86 (95%CI 10.66–18.02)). The strength of this association increased with the persistence and severity of rhinitis, being particularly high in elderly subjects with moderate-severe persistent rhinitis (OR 39.9 (95%CI 27.5–58.0)).ConclusionsAsthma is common in the elderly and strongly associated with rhinitis. The OR for asthma is especially high in persistent and severe ARIA classification rhinitis types. This study strengthens the need for an integrated assessment of asthma together with rhinitis in the elderly