Very Late Age-Onset Asthma: Mimic of Other Respiratory Diseases and Important Diagnosis Not to Be Missed.

Abstract

Asthma is often not recognised and is frequently not diagnosed and treated in older people. This may reflect the belief that the disease is unlikely to manifest late in this group. We report a patient who presented with a respiratory infection and persistent breathlessness after the age of 80. Asthma was not initially suspected, and other diagnoses were pursued. However, subsequent spirometry suggested late age-onset asthma that responded dramatically to appropriate treatment. This case provides a timely reminder for physicians to consider this diagnosis in older patients.