Only recently has attention turned to examining co-morbidities in adults with asthma.

To examine possible co-morbidities in adults with asthma, we completed cross-sectional analyses of 2001 BRFSS data. These data are collected under the aegis of CDC in conjunction with all states and some U.S. territories. The data were weighted so that they are representative of the non-institutionalized U.S. adult population. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate techniques were used in the analyses.

Bivariate analyses demonstrated that adults with asthma have higher rates of some co-morbidities than adults without asthma and that these rates remain higher after stratifying for age. Odds ratios and confidence intervals derived from multivariate logistic regression indicated that adults with asthma are at increased risk for: CAD (1.15; CI 1.13, 1.18); myocardial infarction (1.15; CI 1.13, 1.17); overweight (1.19; CI 1.18, 1.20); hypertension (1.30; CI 1.29, 1.31); clinical depression (1.35; CI 1.33, 1.36); obesity (1.36; CI 1.35, 1.38); active tobacco smoking (1.48; CI 1.46, 1.48); arthritis (1.49; CI 1.48, 1.50); and stroke (2.09; CI 2.02, 2.16).

These results suggest that other health problems might be contributing to the morbidity and mortality outcomes in adults with asthma. Because the epidemiology of adult asthma is more complex than childhood asthma, additional research is needed to more completely explain why adults with asthma appear to be at increased risk for some comorbidities.