Table 2 Changes in sputum properties, pulmonary diffusing capacity and oxygen saturation during experiments A and B (N = 15)

 G’ 1 rad s⁻¹ (Pa)

6.7 (4.2, 9.7)

10.3 (6.0; 20.3)

14.1 (6.1, 19.0)

0.057

7.5 (4.1, 13.0)

8.8 (6.5, 13.8)

13.3 (7.1, 14.6)

0.085

 G’ 10 rad s⁻¹ (Pa)

10.2 (6.4, 14.4)

15.9 (8.3, 28.1)

20.9 (9.7, 26.0)

0.062

11.5 (5.9, 20.1)

13.6 (8.8, 18.0)

20.0 (10.1, 23.0)

0.155

 G” 1 rad s⁻¹ (Pa)

2.3 (1.7, 3.2)

3.1 (2.1, 5.9)

3.8 (2.0, 6.2)

0.085

2.6 (1.3, 3.6)

3.2 (2.3, 4.9)

4.5 (2.5, 4.9)

0.155

 G” 10 rad s⁻¹ (Pa)

2.9 (2.2, 4.0)

3.7 (2.6, 6.6)

4.2 (2.6, 6.7)

0.085

3.6 (1.8, 4.3)

3.7 (2.8, 5.7)

5.3 (2.9, 6.1)

0.282

 Dynamic yield stress (Pa)

0.20 (0.10, 0.30)

0.30 (0.20, 0.60)

0.30 (0.20, 0.40)

0.066

0.20 (0.10, 0.40)

0.20 (0.18, 0.33)

0.30 (0.2, 0.53)

0.074

 Sputum solids content (%)

5.3 (3.9, 7.4)

6.2 (4.2, 9.7)

6.5 (4.4, 8.1)

0.038

4.5 (3.6, 5.8)

6.2 (4.1, 7.5)

6.9 (3.8, 8.4)

0.672

 Spinnability (mm)

6.7 (6.4, 8.2)

7.7 (6.5, 21.0)

6.7 (6.3, 8.2)

0.155

9.2 (6.4, 12.4)

6.2 (5.8, 8.3)

8.9 (7.2, 31.0)

0.089

 Ease of sputum expectoration (cm)

8.1 (5.2, 8.3)

7.7 (3.4, 9.3)

8.2 (4.7, 8.9)

0.180

7.1 (5.2, 8.7)

6.5 (4.4, 9.1)

5.3 (4.3, 9.2)

0.482

 DLNO (mL min^− 1 mmHg^− 1)

78.1 (68.4, 141.6)

86.9 (67.4, 140.6)

79.2 (65.6, 134.0)

0.015^*

84.7 (64.8, 143.1)

83.8 (69.9, 135.2)

82.6 (69.4, 147.8)

0.482

 DLNO/V_A (mL min^− 1 mmHg^− 1 L^− 1)

21.1 (19.8; 22.4)

21.2 (20.0; 22.2)

20.7 (18.2; 21.8)

0.015^♯

21.1 (19.7; 22.7)

20.5 (19.2; 22.4)

20.7 (18.3, 22.3)

0.007^♯

 DLCO (mL min^− 1 mmHg^− 1)

22.4 (20.3, 31.9)

24.6 (20.3, 36.2)

21.5 (19.5, 31.1)

0.002^*

23.7 (19.6, 34.3)

24.2 (19.4, 34.0)

22.9 (19.3, 32.5)

0.011^*

 DLCO/V_A (mL min^− 1 mmHg^− 1 L^− 1)

5.8 (5.2, 6.1)

6.1 (5.4, 6.5)

5.6 (5.3, 6.2)

0.047^*

5.7 (5.4, 6.01)

6.0 (5.3, 6.2)

5.5 (5.0, 5.9)

< 0.001^*♯

 DLNO/DLCO ratio

3.8 (3.4, 4.1)

3.6 (3.4, 3.8)

3.6 (3.4, 4.1)

0.025

3.8 (3.4, 4.2)

3.5 (3.3, 3.9)

3.7 (3.3, 4.1)

0.005

 DMCO (mL min⁻¹ mmHg^− 1)

52 (42, 112)

56 (43, 88)

53 (43, 92)

0.612

58 (42, 106)

54 (45, 89)

56 (42, 118)

0.717

 V_A (L)

3.8 (3.4, 6.0)

4.2 (3.5, 6.1)

3.9 (3.4, 5.6)

0.001

3.9 (3.3, 5.9)

3.9 (3.5, 5.5)

4.0 (3.6, 6.0)

0.420

 V_cap (mL)

76 (69, 82)

91 (77, 91)

76 (67, 91)

< 0.001^*

75 (72, 94)

82 (76, 92)

75 (67, 83)

0.015^*

 SpO₂ (%)

97.0 (95.8, 97.0)

96.0 (94.8, 97.0)

96.0 (95.5, 97.0)

0.598

96.5 (96.0, 97.6)

96.0 (96.0, 97.3)

97.0 (96.8, 98.0)

0.125