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Table 4 Comparison of the clinical and laboratory features between patients with low DSS (n = 42) and those with high DSS (n = 23)

From: Clinical significance of cigarette smoking and dust exposure in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: a Korean national survey

Variablesa

Low DSSb (n = 42)

High DSS (n = 23)

P value

Age (median years [IQR])

48 (41–59)

46 (44–59)

0.878

Male

24 (57.1)

16 (69.6)

0.325

Smoking status (n = 61)

  

0.023

 Never smoker

18 (46.2)

9 (40.9)

0.692

 Ex-smoker

14 (35.9)

2 (9.1)

0.018

 Current smoker

7 (17.9)

11 (50.0)

0.008

Presence of symptoms

33 (78.6)

22 (95.7)

0.084

 Presence of dyspnea

25 (59.5)

19 (82.6)

0.057

Presence of dust exposure (n = 59)

18 (47.4)

11 (52.4)

0.712

Type of exposed dust

 Farming

0 (0)

5 (45.4)

0.004

 Metal

6 (33.3)

3 (27.3)

1.000

 Stone or sand

4 (22.2)

0 (0)

0.268

 Chemical or paint

4 (22.2)

1 (9.1)

0.622

 Diesel

2 (11.1)

2 (18.2)

0.622

 Textile

1 (5.6)

0 (0)

1.000

 Wood

1 (5.6)

0 (0)

1.000

FVC % predicted

83.2 ± 15.5

73.3 ± 16.1

0.05

DLCO % predicted

75.6 ± 23.9

51.0 ± 22.8

0.001

PaO2 mm Hg

88.8 ± 25.2

61.4 ± 9.5

<0.001

D(A-a)O2 mm Hg

20.7 ± 11.1

42.2 ± 11.7

<0.001

LDH U/L

433.9 ± 182.4

352.6 ± 157.3

0.251

CEA ng/mL

6.4 ± 8.7

9.6 ± 8.6

0.294

Treatment

  

0.116

 No

21 (50.0)

7 (30.4)

0.128

 Whole lung lavage

18 (42.9)

16 (69.6)

0.039

 Segmental lavage

2 (4.8)

0 (0)

0.536

 GM-CSFc

3 (7.1)

0 (0)

0.547

  1. DSS disease severity score, IQR interquartile range, NA not applicable, FVC forced vital capacity, DL CO diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, LDH lactate dehydrogenase, CEA carcinoembryonic antigen
  2. aParametric data are shown as means (± standard deviation) and nonparametric data as medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs). Dichotomous or discontinuous variables are presented as numbers (%)
  3. bData on arterial blood gas analyses could not be obtained in 13 patients among the total 78 patients. The categories of score ranged from DSS 1 to DSS 5 as described previously17; DSS 1 = no symptoms and PaO2 ≥ 70 mmHg, DSS 2 = symptomatic and PaO2 ≥ 70 mmHg, DSS 3 = 60 mmHg ≤ PaO2 < 70 mmHg, DSS 4 = 50 mmHg ≤ PaO2 < 60 mmHg, DSS 5 = PaO2 < 50 mmHg
  4. cAmong the patients who were treated with GM-CSF, two patients were also treated by whole lung lavage