Patients with overlapping diagnoses of asthma and COPD: is livestock exposure a risk factor for comorbidity and coexisting symptoms and infections?

Table 2 Differences (OR, 99% CI) ^a in prevalence of comorbidity and coexisting symptoms and infections, between ACOS patients living in the study area and those living in the control area (significant associations in bold)

	Study area vs. control area (OR, 99% CI)
Comorbidity
GERD	1.25 (0.58–2.7)
Osteoporosis	0.76 (0.27–2.17)
Diabetes mellitus	0.6 (0.37–0.99)*
Anxiety	0.41 (0.16–1.04)
Depression	0.85 (0.44–1.62)
Lung cancer	1.09 (0.11–10.7)
Hypertension	0.94 (0.54–1.64)
Rheumatoid arthritis	1.34 (0.41–4.37)
Heart disease (risk) cluster^b	0.84 (0.47–1.51)
Total prevalence^c	1.02 (0.63–1.65)
Number^d	0.86 (0.69–1.05)
Coexisting symptoms & infections
Pneumonia	2.29 (0.96–5.47)
Sleep problems	1.16 (0.37–3.64)
Memory/Concentration problems	1.93 (0.36–10.2)
Upper respiratory tract infections	1.01 (0.46–2.22)
Respiratory symptoms	0.99 (0.55–1.79)
Dizziness/Vertigo	0.85 (0.32–2.27)
Anemia	1.52 (0.68–3.41)
Allergic rhinitis/Hay fever	0.62 (0.28–1.42)
Total prevalence^c	1.28 (0.71–2.3)
Number^d	1.11 (0.8–1.55)

Abbreviations: ORs Odds ratios, CI Confidence intervals, GERD Gastro-oesophageal reflux Disease
^aAdjusted for age and gender
^bThe heart disease (risk) cluster consists of coronary heart disease, heart failure, atherosclerosis hyperlipidemia
^cPatients with at least one of the investigated outcomes
^dCount variables, incidence rate ratios (IRR) are provided
*p < 0.01

ISSN: 1471-2466