MORTALITY IN ADULTS WITH SELF-REPORTED ASTHMA

Background On the question of whether asthma shortens survival the pub lished work gives no clear answer. We have prospectively analysed over all and cause-specific mortality in persons with self-reported asthma. Methods A sample of 13 540 individuals (6104 men) 20 years of age or older, randomly selected from the general population of the city of Co penhagen, was followed for 17 years. Findings Survival in participants with self-reported asthma was significantly poorer than in non-asthma tics, the excess mortality being limited to pulmonary mortality. After statistical adjustment for age, length of school education, and smoki ng, women with asthma had a 1.7 higher risk of dying than women withou t asthma (95% confidence interval 1.3-2.2). Although the relative risk (RR) of dying with asthma was sightly lower in men (RR=1.5, 95% CI 1. 2-1.9) the difference between sexes was not significant. The results w ere similar within smoking groups and the highest risk of death associ ated with asthma was seen among never-smokers (RR=2.1, 95% CI 1.6-2.3) . Inclusion of one-second forced expiratory volume, in % predicted, in the mortality analyses showed that the increased risk of death associ ated with asthma was mediated mainly through reduced lung function. In terpretation We conclude that, in the general population, self-reporte d asthma is associated with a slight excess of mortality, mainly from respiratory diseases.