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Table 1 Characteristics of the apprentice cohort at baseline (% (n), mean [sd]).

From: Associations of airway inflammation and responsiveness markers in non asthmatic subjects at start of apprenticeship

 

Males

Females

Total

n

56.9% (251)

43.1% (190)

441

Training track

   

Bakery

60.6% (152)

4.7% (9)

36.5% (161)

Pastry

34.7% (87)

12.6% (24)

25.2% (111)

Hairdressing

4.8% (12)

82.6% (157)

38.3% (169)

Age (years)

16.8 [1.1]

17.1 [1.7]

16.9 [1.4]

Body Mass Index

22.1 [4.1]

21.9 [3.7]

22.0 [3.9]

Tobacco consumption

   

   Current smokers

51.4% (129)

41.1% (78)

46.9% (207)

Age at starting smoking

14.0 [1.6]

13.7 [1.8]

13.9 [1.7]

Pack years

1.7 [1.6]

1.7 [1.6]

1.7 [1.6]

   Past smokers

2.0% (5)

4.2% (8)

3.0% (13)

   Non-smokers

46.6% (117)

54.7% (104)

50.1% (221)

Atopy in family*

32.7% (82)

40.0% (76)

35.8% (158)

Clinical atopy†

20.7% (52)

20.5% (39)

20.6% (91)

Personal atopy‡ (97 missing data)

35.7% (70)

25.7% (38)

31.4% (108)

Baseline spirometry§

   

   Missing data (% (n))

1.6% (4)

1.1% (2)

1.4% (6)

   FEV1

91.4 [11.0]

93.6 [9.5]

92.3 [10.4]

   FVC

90.7 [12.0]

92.0 [10.6]

91.3 [11.4]

   FEV1/FVC (%)

101.3 [8.4]

102.0 [7.0]

101.6 [7.9]

Baseline airway resistance (kPa.L.s-1)

0.25 [0.07]

0.29 [0.06]

0.27 [0.07]

MBC test

   

   Airways responsiveness

   

Missing data (% (n))

3.2% (8)

1.6% (3)

2.5% (11)

MBC+ >20%

6.6% (16)

5.3% (10)

6.0% (26)

MBC+ 15 to 20%

8.2% (20)

7.0% (13)

7.7% (33)

   Airway resistance

   

Rrs4-16 increase (%)||

   

>54.6%

7.4% (18)

4.5% (8)

6.2% (26)

>42.3% and <54.6%

9.1% (22)

6.2% (11)

7.8% (33)

<42.3%

83.5% (202)

89.4% (160)

86.0% (362)

Clinical indicators of airway inflammation

   

   Rhinoconjunctivitis-like symptoms¶

8.8% (22)

12.1% (23)

10.2% (45)

   Asthma-like symptoms#

3.2% (8)

5.3% (10)

4.1% (18)

Quantitative indicators of airway inflammation

   

   FENO in percent predicted**

   

>225%

6.6% (15)

6.8% (11)

6.7% (26)

>140% and <225%

8.7% (20)

8.0% (13)

8.4% (33)

<140%

84.7% (194)

85.2% (138)

84.9% (332)

Eosinophil count in nasal fluid lavage

   

   Missing data (% (n))

13.5% (34)

8.9% (17)

11.6% (51)

   >1%

6.5% (14)

6.4% (11)

6.4% (25)

   >14%

8.3% (18)

4.6% (8)

6.7% (26)

  1. Rrs4-16: mean oscillatory resistance from 4 to 16 Hz; MBC Methacholine Bronchial Challenge test.
  2. * asthma or allergy in siblings and/or parents; † hay fever and/or eczema in childhood and/or asthma in childhood; ‡ defined as a positive response to at least one common allergen at the Skin Prick Tests
  3. § in percent predicted according to the European Respiratory Society
  4. || increase = 100.(maximum of Rrs after methacholine inhalation - baseline Rrs)/baseline Rrs
  5. ¶ in case of itchy, runny, stuffy nose, or sneezes and/or about red, burning or weeping eyes, excepted during a respiratory infection
  6. # in case of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, or cough, excepted during a respiratory infection or under exercise condition;** according to gender, tobacco usage status and personal atopy ([13])
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BMC Pulmonary Medicine

ISSN: 1471-2466

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