Characteristics of study subjects
| CAL group (n=50) | Control group (n=32) | |
|---|---|---|
| NEADL = Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living; LH = London Handicap; IQ = interquartile. | ||
| *p=0.002, **p<0.0001 (Mann-Whitney U test). | ||
| Mean age (range) | 76.1 (70–89) | 75.8 (70–85) |
| Female n (%) | 28 (56) | 18 (56) |
| Living alone n (%) | 18 (36) | 15 (47) |
| Smoking history | ||
| Current smokers, n (%) | 5 (10) | 4 (12) |
| Ex-smokers, n (%) | 36 (72) | 13 (41) |
| Lifetime non-smokers (%) | 9 (18) | 15 (47) |
| Median pack years smoked (range) | 20 (0–40) | 5 (0–60) |
| Comorbidity n (%) | ||
| Chronic bronchitis (MRC criteria) | 14 (28) | 3 (9) |
| Heart disease | 12 (24) | 7 (22) |
| Stroke | 3 (6) | 2 (6) |
| Arthritis | 22 (44) | 2 (6) |
| Depression history | 5 (10) | 3 (9) |
| Other comorbidity | 11 (22) | 7 (22) |
| Median NEADL index (IQ range) | 20 (17–21) | 21 (19–22)* |
| Median LH score (IQ range) | 78.5 (69.4–91.5) | 98.4 (81.7–100)** |
| Symptoms, n (%) | ||
| Wheeze in past 12 months | 44 (88) | 5 (16) |
| Attacks of breathlessness with wheeze | 32 (64) | 3 (9) |
| Shortness of breath at own pace | 27 (54) | 2 (6) |
| Shortness of breath on flat | 39 (78) | 3 (6) |