Table 2 Comparison between elderly and non-elderly asthma patients and controls

Women, n/N (%)

17/28 (60.71%)

19/31 (61.29%)

22/29 (75.9%)

19/30 (63.3%)

ns

ns

ns

ns

Age years, mean ± SD

71 ± 5.4

39.5 ± 5.8

70.4 ± 4.8

35.7 ± 5.5

 < 0.001

ns

ns

 < 0.001

Atopy, n/N (%)

13/27 (48.15%)

22/25 (88%)

10/29 (34.5%)

14/29 (48.3%)

0.002

ns

0.001

ns

BMI, median (25–75%)

28.7 (25.3–32.1)

25.4 (20.5–29.3)

26 (24.2–28.5)

24.2 (21.9–27.7)

ns

ns

ns

ns

BMI > 25, n/N (%)

23/28 (82.1%)

17/31 (54.8%)

16/29 (55.2)

11/30 (36.7%)

ns

ns

ns

ns

FEV1%pred. val., median (25–75%)

90.7 (74.8–104.1)

94.7 (86–107.7)

104.4 (99.1–115.9)

110.6 (103.7–113.8)

ns

0.007

0.049

ns

FEV1%/FVC, mean ± SD

88.4 ± 20.9

94.8 ± 15.1

106.5 ± 14.7

106.9 ± 17.7

ns

0.002

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

R5Hz %pred. value, median (25–75%)

135 (95.1–173.2)

111.4 (97.1–142.9)

90.4 (72–115.9)

96.8 (88.6–108.8)

ns

0.003

0.046

ns

δR5–R20% pred., median (25–75%)

32 (16.5–55.9)

20.3 (7.6–34.4)

18.5 (10.1–26.7)

10.8 (1.8–17.7)

ns

ns

ns

ns

δR5–R20 > 20%, n/N (%)

20/27 (74.07%)

16/31 (51.61%)

13/28 (53.6%)

0/30 (0%)

ns

ns

0.009

0.03

FeNO, ppb, median (25–75%)

22.8 (19.5–28)

20 (14.5–32)

21.8 (18.3–28.5)

18.5 (14.5–22)

ns

ns

ns

ns

FeNO > 25 ppb n/N (%)

11/26 (42.3%)

12/31 (38.7%)

10/28 (35.7%)

3/29 (10.3%)

ns

ns

ns

ns

ACT, median (25–75%)

21 (17–25)

22 (19–25)

–

–

ns

–

–

–

ACT < 20 score, n/N (%)

11/27 (40.74%)

9/31 (29.03%)

–

–

ns

–

–

–

Uncontrolled Asthma according to GINA 2017, n/N (%)

8/27 (29.6%)

4/31 (12.9%)

–

–

ns

–

–

–

Severe asthma according to GINA 2017, n/N (%)

15/28 (53.6%)

16/31 (51.6%)

–

–

ns

–

–

–

Patients with exacerbation/last year, n/N (%)

19/28 (67.9%)

11/31 (35.5%)

–

–

0.012

–

–

–

Number of comorbidities, median (25–75%)

7 (4–8.5)

3 (1–3)

3 (2–5)

0 (0–1)

 < 0.001

0.02

 < 0.001

 < 0.001