ADELAIDE, Australia, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Australian scientists say older adults with asthma are at an increased risk for developing cancer and twice as likely to suffer heart disease.
The researchers at the University of Adelaide said adults with asthma are twice as likely than those without asthma to suffer from at least one comorbid chronic condition, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, stroke, cancer, and osteoporosis.
"Asthma and allergy-related diseases are usually associated with lower cancer levels. However, our study found an increased cancer risk among older patients with asthma," said the study's lead author Dr. Robert Adams of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital at the University of Adelaide.
Australian researchers examined the prevalence of common, chronic medical conditions in adults with and without asthma and how comorbid chronic health conditions affect quality of life. From information gained from 7,619 adults in three Australian states, 834 adults reported current doctor-diagnosed asthma.
For those over age 55, cancer was significantly more prominent than in adults under age 55. All other chronic conditions, except diabetes, were significantly more common in older adults with asthma.
The research appears in the February issue of the journal CHEST.
