Association of geriatric syndromes in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disease of the lung's parenchyma and airways that increase with aging. 1 Globally and in India, the growing burden of COPD is due to continuous exposure to the risk factors like environmental tobacco smoke, outdoor and indoor air pollution, and population aging. 2 This is the third leading cause of death worldwide and the second leading cause of disease burden in India, causing 8.7% of total deaths in India. 2,3 Over 80% of these deaths occur in low-and middle-income countries. 3 Prevalence of COPD in India has increased from 3.3% in 1990 to 4.2% in 2016, according to the global burden of disease study. 2 Whereas the prevalence and morbidity of COPD in older adults are high, it is often undiagnosed and remains undertreated in India. 2,4 Most patients with COPD have an extra-pulmonary component which leads to morbidity and mortality. 5 These extra-pulmonary

Impact of Frailty on Symptom Burden in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

“…Poverty and low social support are both associated with a higher prevalence of COPD [59] and may potentially facilitate the occurrence of frailty. Weight loss, malnutrition, and anorexia are experienced by patients with COPD [60,61]. These aspects negatively contribute to muscle function and exhaustion and substantially to the appearance of frailty.…”

Pharmacotherapies in Older Adults with COPD: Challenges and Opportunities

“…Furthermore, age-associated lung changes are associated with the onset of many comorbidities, such as cardiovascular, neurological, psychiatric, and gastrointestinal diseases and/or muscle wasting and osteoporosis, which are very common in COPD [ 13 ], probably linked by a common mechanism related to inflamm-aging [ 14 ]. When compared with those without COPD, older individuals with COPD showed a higher probability of coexisting geriatric syndromes, which could also be multiple [ 15 ]. Functional impairment, urine incontinence, malnutrition, cognitive impairment, and frailty were shown to be more prevalent in patients with COPD [ 15 ].…”

“…When compared with those without COPD, older individuals with COPD showed a higher probability of coexisting geriatric syndromes, which could also be multiple [ 15 ]. Functional impairment, urine incontinence, malnutrition, cognitive impairment, and frailty were shown to be more prevalent in patients with COPD [ 15 ]. They worsen health status and increase morbidity and medication nonadherence and also the risk of admission to acute care units and mortality in older adults with COPD [ 16 , 17 ].…”