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The Aging Lung
Sidney S. Braman MD FACP FCCP
Professor of Medicine
Brown University
Providence RI
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Is the respiratory system of the
elderly different when
compared to younger age
groups?
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Respiratory Changes of Aging
• Physiologic Consequences of Aging cause
different manifestations of the same disease
• Co-morbid illness often complicate the clinical
picture
• Psychosocial changes of aging cause different
challenges for those caring for patients with
lung disease
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Defining “Normal” in the
Elderly Adult is Difficult
• Most elderly are women; studies defining
normal have been done on men
• Greater variability in normalcy in elderly
than in younger adults.
• Difficult to exclude occult disease,
subclinical symptoms, former smokers
• Diabetes, lower extremity edema, hyper-
tension associated with lower lung tests
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Respiratory Function in the
Elderly
• Decreased Static Elastic Recoil
• Decreased Chest Wall Compliance
• Decreased Strength of Respiratory
Muscles
• Impaired Respiratory Reflexes
• Impaired Perception of Respiratory loads
• Near Normal Gas Exchange
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Respiratory Function in the
Elderly Changes in Elastic Recoil
• Static elastic recoil pressure decreases and
pressure volume curve is shifted to the left
• No change in total content- elastin and collagen
but ratio increased.
• Hypotheses: spatial arrangement and/or cross-
linking of elastin fibers network abnormal
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Respiratory Function in the
Elderly Changes in Elastic Recoil
• Elastic fibers degenerate; as a result, airspaces
enlarge and small airways tend to collapse
• Dynamic CT scans show air trapping
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Respiratory Function in the
Elderly Changes in Elastic Recoil
• BAL studies in elderly (mean age 74 yrs) have
shown higher % of neutrophils ( 40% vs 10%)
and lower % of macrophages ( 32% vs 67%).
• BAL samples show high levels of IL-8, elastase,
and other antiproteases.
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Respiratory Function in the
Elderly
Alterations of Thoracic Cage
• Chest wall compliance decreases with age
caused by calcification of other structures
(costal cartilage and vertebral articulations
calcify; disk spaces narrow)
• Age-related osteoporosis results in partial
(wedge) or complete (crush) vertebral fractures
females 2 X males
1 in 5 >75 yrs. has normal spine
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The Radiographic appearance of the
Chest in Patients of Advanced Age
• A study of 100 chest radiographs of normal subjects aged 75-93
• 25% had severe kyphosis as a result of vertebral wedge or crush fractures (>50 degrees)
• 43% had moderate kyphosis (35-50 degrees)
• 23% were normal
Edge et al Br J Radiol 1984
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80 year old asthmatic woman presents with
a 1 year history of progressive shortness of
breath. She has had asthma for 10 years
and had been stable under the care of her
primary care physician on low dose inhaled
corticosteroids and occasional beta agonist
therapy by metered dose inhaler.
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Baseline 2 1/2 years later
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Respiratory Function in the
Elderly Changes in Respiratory Muscle function
• The decrease in chest wall compliance and
increase in FRC impairs muscle function
• Diaphragm curvature modified because of the
kyphotic curvature of the spine and the
increase in AP diameter of the chest
• This impairs it’s force-generating capabilities
(max. trans- diaphragmatic pressure reduced
by 25%)
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Respiratory Function in the
Elderly Changes in Respiratory Muscle function
• Respiratory muscle strength is related to
nutritional status
• Nutritional status often deficient in elderly:
causes decrease in MIP, MEP, MVV, hand grip
• Comorbid illnesses (CHF, Parkinson’s, CVA)
• Respiratory muscle function is energy
(blood flow) dependent. In CHF, CI
correlates with Pdi and ↓ limb strength
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Peripheral Muscle Strength Declines
with Aging
• Decrease in muscle mass (x-sectional fiber area)
• Decrease in # of fibers (Type II “fast twitch”)
• Alteration in neuromuscular junction
• Loss of peripheral motor neurons & denervation of type II muscle fibers
• Slowing of contraction ( ↓ maximal shortening velocity) [Ca+ transport, uncoupling of ATP]
• Decreased synthesis of muscle myosin heavy chain (decreased repair ability)
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Physiologic Changes of Aging that
Affect Lung Function Tests
1. Loss of height
2. Loss of muscle power
3. Increased stiffness of the chest wall
4. Loss of elastic recoil
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Pulmonary Function Changes with
Aging- Lung Volumes
Vital Capacity
Functional Residual Capacity
Residual Volume
Closing Volume
Total Lung Capacity
Decreased
Increased
Increased
Increased
No Change
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Pulmonary Function Changes with
Aging- Gas Spirometry
FEV1
FEV1/FVC
MEFR
Decreased
Decreased
Decreased
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Pulmonary Function Changes with
Aging- Gas Exchange
Diffusing Capacity
A-a O2 Gradient
PaCO2
Decreased
Decreased
No Change
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Fall in Lung Function with Age
is not Linear
• Fall in FEV1 averages 25-35 ml/year
• Ages 25-39 years = 20 ml/ year
• Ages 65 and older = 35 ml/year
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77 year old man presents to his doctor with
increasing dyspnea for the last 6 months.
He is no lonnger able to play golf and has
difficulty shopping and walking up stairs.
His past medical history is negative for
serious disease. He is a former smoker of
2 packs of cigarettes a day but stopped 22
years ago.
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Normal Spirogram and Spirogram Typical
of Patients With Mild to Moderate COPD
1 2 3 4 5 6 Seconds
FVC
COPD
FEV1
FEV1
Normal FVC
0
1
2
3
4
5
Lit
ers
FEV1 FVC FEV1/FVC
Normal 4.15 5.2 80%
COPD 2.35 3.9 60%
NIH/NHLBI. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. NHLBI/WHO Workshop Report 2001.
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0
20
40
60
80
100
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
FEV1
(%)
Age (years)
Death
Disability
Quit Age 45
Age 65
Fletcher C, Peto R. Br Med J. 1977;1:1645-1648.
COPD Risk and Smoking Cessation
Never smoked or
not susceptible
Smoked and
susceptible
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Changes in Expiratory flow with Aging The Flow Volume Curve
Normal 70 yr old _____
Normal 25 yr old -----
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Effects of Exercise on
Hyperinflation
VT
IRV
E
RV
IC
RV
Normal
Years - Decades
Progression
Rest
Static Hyperinflation
Air Trapping
at Rest
Seconds - Minutes Exercise
Dynamic Hyperinflation
Air Trapping
During Exercise
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Respiratory Function in the
Elderly Respiratory Reflexes
• Response to isocapnic hypoxia is decreased by
50% compared to young normals
• Hyperoxic hypercapnic response reduced 60%
• Decreased perception of of added resistive or
elastic loads is diminished
• Central drive (P.1test) is diminished
• Sleep apnea common- up to 44% have AHI>20
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Case History
75 year old asthmatic woman non-
smoker who has had 3 admissions to
the intensive care unit for severe
status asthmaticus. Each time the
patient has been found by her family
in extremis when they returned home
from work.
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Perception of Dyspnea
in the Eldery
• Decreased prerception of elastic and
resistive loads
• Perception of bronchoconstriction
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Perception of Bronchoconstriction
in the Elderly:
Young and old normals and asthmatics
Connolly et al Thorax 47:410, 1992
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Dyspnea Awareness Scale After Induced Bronchoconstriction
Score 1-4
1. No Symptoms
2. Mild discomfort
3. Moderate discomfort
4.Severe; need immediate treatment
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Post Methacholine Dyspnea
Young vs. Elderly
Fall FEV1 Awaremess Normal
young
elderly
Asthma
young
elderly
13.7% 2.76*
16.3% 1.53
21.5% 3.06**
27.4% 2.0
*p=0.004 **p=0.001
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Conclusion:
Elderly normal and asthmatic
subjects show reduced subjective
awareness of bronchoconstriction
compared to young normals and
asthmatic patients
Connolly et al Thorax 47:410, 1992
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Protective airway reflexes
in the elderly
• Aspiration reflex
• Cholinergic bronchoconstriction
• Cough
• Mucociliary clearance
• Beta-adrenergic responsiveness
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Case History
80 year old asthmatic complains of recent
dyspnea. Shortness of breath occurs at rest
and is described as difficulty taking a deep
breath and filling up my lungs with air.
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Psychosocial Changes of Aging
• 10% of elderly population mentally
debilitated
• Depression in the elderly common
• Social and financial stresses high
• Anxiety about dying may be high
• Compliance with medication a problem
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Respiratory Diseases of the
Elderly are often Undertreated
• Forgetfulness common in the elderly
• Denial of disease or symptoms common
• Decreased perception of symptoms
• Patients assume symptoms due to aging
• Cost of medications may be prohibitive
• Side effects of drugs more common
• Physicians may be cause of under treatment