Evaluation of health outcomes in elderly patients with asthma and COPD using disease-specific and generic instruments: the Salute Respiratoria nell'Anziano (Sa.R.A.) Study.

To compare the effects of asthma and COPD on health status (HS) in elderly patients, and to assess the correlation between disease-specific and generic instruments assessing HS.Multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study.The Salute Respiratoria nell'Anziano (respiratory health in the elderly) Study network of outpatient departments.One hundred ninety-eight asthma patients and 230 COPD patientsor = 65 years old.HS was assessed by the Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and five generic outcomes: Barthel's index, 6-min walk test, mini mental state examination, geriatric depression scale (GDS), and quality-of-sleep index. Independent correlates of SGRQ scores were assessed by…

Use of antibiotics in elderly patients with exacerbated COPD: the OLD-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease study