OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlates of the lability of peak expiratory flow (PEF) in the elderly. METHODS: A community sample of 4,581 @entity1 > or = 65 years old from the Cardiovascular Health Study completed an @entity565 questionnaire and underwent spirometry. During a follow-up examination of the cohort, 1,836 @entity1 agreed to measure PEF at home twice daily for 2 weeks, and 90% successfully obtained at least 4 days of valid measurements. PEF lability was calculated as the highest daily (PEF maximum - PEF minimum)/mean PEF. RESULTS: Mean PEF measured at home was accurate when compared to PEF determined by spirometry in the clinic. Mean PEF lability was 18% in those with current @entity565 (n = 165) vs 12% in healthy nonsmokers (upper limit of normal, 29%). Approximately 26% of those with @entity565 and 14% of the other @entity1 had abnormally high PEF lability (> 29%). After excluding @entity1 with @entity565 , other independent predictors of high PEF lability included black race, current and former smoking, airway obstruction on spirometry, daytime @entity25 , recent wheezing, chronic cough, @entity2415 , and wheezing from lying in a supine position. Despite having a lower mean PEF, those reporting congestive @entity712 (n = 82) did not have significantly higher PEF lability. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of PEF lability at home is highly successful in elderly @entity1 . PEF lability > or = 30% is abnormal in the elderly and is associated with @entity565 .

Correlates of peak expiratory flow lability in elderly XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['participants', 'persons'] @entity712 :: ('MESH:D006333', 'Disease') :: ['heart failure'] @entity565 :: ('MESH:D001249', 'Disease') :: ['asthma'] @entity2415 :: ('MESH:D004646', 'Disease') :: ['emphysema'] @entity25 :: ('MESH:D012893', 'Disease') :: ['sleepiness']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['persons']
