Chronic respiratory disease in the elderly

A study has been made of chronic respiratory disease among 83 men and 217 women aged 65 and over, randomly chosen from those living in their own homes. Twenty-six per cent of the men and 13 % of the women had chronic bronchitis. The prevalence of chronic bronchitis was related to current cigarette smoking in both sexes, and to socio-economic status in men. Chronic bronchitis was a contributory cause of disabling dyspnoea and recurrent chest illness in half of the subjects with these symptoms. Significant radiological evidence of tuberculosis was found in 9 % of men and in 4 % of women, asthma in 2 % of women, industrial lung disease in 4 % of men, and bronchogenic carcinoma in three subjects. Chronic respiratory disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in old age. Thus chronic bronchitis and bronchogenic carcinoma each account for approximately 7 % of male and 2% of female deaths over the age of 65 in Scotland (Registrar General for Scotland, 1971). Death rates from bronchitis in men over the age of 65 have risen steadily over the past 15 years (Crofton, 1970). The notification rate for pulmonary tuber-culosis detected at mass miniature radiography increases with age in men (Hawthorne, 1970). There have been many studies of the prevalence of chronic respiratory disease, particularly of chronic bronchitis, in middle age (College o