Spa therapy and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in elderly patients with asthma

Clinical effects of spa therapy were examined in 150 patients with asthma in relation tobronchial hyperresponsiveness and patient age. 1. The efficacy rate of spa therapy was larger as the patient age was higher: the rate was 73.3% in patients under age 49, 81.8% in those between the ages of 50 and 59, 86.4% in those between the ages of 60 and 69, and 90.6% in those over age 70. The mean of efficacy rates was 83.3% in all subjects. 2. The bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BH) was lower as patient age was higher: the BH in patients between the ages of 60 and 69 and in those over age 70 was significantly lower compared to the BH in those under age 49 (p < O.OOl). 3. Clinical effects of spa therapy tended to be lower in patients with increased bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The bronchial hyperresponsiveness showed a tendency to decrease after spa therapy in whom the therapy was effective, however, the BH did not change in patients with slight or no efficacy during spa therapy.

1.温泉療法では,年齢が高くなるほどその有効率も高くなると言う傾向が見られ､49才以下の症例では73.3% ,50-59才の症例では81.8% , 60-69才の症例では86.4% ,70才以上では90.6% であり,全症例の平均有効率は73.3% であった｡　 2.気道過敏性は,年齢が高くなるほど低下する傾向が見られ,60-69才および70才以上の症例の気道過敏性は,49才以下の症例と比べ有 意に低い値を示した(P < 0.001)。　 3.温泉療法の臨床効果は,気道過敏性が強くなるにつれて低下する傾向が見られた｡また,温泉療法の著効例や有効例では,治療により 気道過敏性が低下してくるが､やや有効例や無効例では,気道過敏性はほとんど変化しないことが示された｡