Menopausal Women Twice as Likely to be Hospitalized for Asthma

Women experiencing menopause are twice more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than men, a latest study states.

Researchers studied men and women aged between 40 and 50. They found that women were twice more likely to be admitted to hospitals than men of the same age. The study was published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

"Until puberty, boys have higher rates of asthma than girls," said lead study author Robert Yao-wen Lin, MD, allergist. "Then, during the menopausal years, women's hospitalization rates are double those of men in the same age group. This could indicate that asthma may have distinct biological traits." They factored in  smoking and obesity too.

The research team examined the National Impatient Sample data of the year 2000-2010 and calculated the ratio of female to male hospitalization rates over the years. They found a significant difference in the hospitalization rate during the fifth and six decade.

"This study reinforces that asthma is a women's health issue," John Oppenheimer, MD, ACAAI Fellow and associate editor of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, said. "There is a need for more prevention and early intervention to reduce asthma hospitalization in menopausal women and reduce healthcare costs."

The journal advises menopausal women to take proper suggestions from their allergist over medications. It also said that women should be aware of the symptoms of severe asthma attack during menopause and how to control it avoiding the need for hospitalization.

Nearly one in 12 people suffer from asthma and the number is increasing. The number of people diagnosed with asthma grew by 4.3 million from 2001 to 2009 in the U.S..