Table 1 Clinical characteristics of patients with non-CF bronchiectasis

Age, yrs

65.2 ± 10.2 (62.6~67.7)

65.2 ± 8.6 (61.2~69.1)

65.2 ± 11.0(61.8~68.5)

0.930

Gender, female

51

14

37

0.210

HRCT score

10.5 ± 4.4 (9.4~11.7)

7.7 ± 3.6 (6.0~9.3)

11.9 ± 4 (10.7~13.2)

< 0.001

BMI (kg/m²)

21.8 ± 4.1 (20.8~22.8)

22.1 ± 2.9 (20.8~23.4)

21.7 ± 4.6 (20.3~23.1)

0.662

 Femoral neck

−3.2 ± 1.2 (−3.5~ − 2.9)

−2.4 ± 0.9 (− 2.7~ − 2.0)

− 3.6 ± 1.1 (−3.3~ − 3.9)

< 0.001

 Lumbar spine

−2.3 ± 1.2 (− 2.6~ − 2.0)

−1.6 ± 0.9 (− 2.0~ − 1.1)

−2.6 ± 1.2 (− 3.0~ − 2.3)

0.001

 Proximal hip

− 2.5 ± 1.2 (− 2.8~ − 2.2)

− 1.5 ± 0.8 (− 1.9~ − 1.2)

− 2.9 ± 1.0 (− 3.2~ − 2.6)

< 0.001

Osteoporosis, %

46 (70%)

9 (43%)

37 (82%)

0.005

Osteopenia, %

15 (23%)

9 (43%)

6 (13%)

 FVC, L

1.7 ± 0.7 (1.6~1.9)

2.2 ± 0.7 (1.9~2.5)

1.5 ± 0.6 (1.3~1.7)

< 0.001

 FVC, %

71.3 ± 21.7 (66.0~76.6)

81.4 ± 20.1 (72.2~90.5)

66.6 ± 21 (60.3~72.9)

0.009

 FEV₁, L

1.2 ± 0.5 (1.1~1.3)

1.6 ± 0.5 (1.3~1.8)

1.0 ± 0.5 (0.9~1.2)

< 0.001

 FEV₁, %

62.5 ± 24.0 (56.6~68.4)

71.8 ± 21.2 (62.2~81.5)

58.1 ± 24.2 (50.9~65.4)

0.024

 FEV₁/FVC, %

69.7 ± 10.9 (67.1~72.4)

71.2 ± 9.7 (66.8~75.7)

69 ± 11.4 (65.6~72.5)

0.449

  Pre-exercise,%

93.6 ± 4.1 (92.6~94.6)

95.0 ± 2.0 (94.1~96.0)

92.9 ± 4.6 (91.5~94.3)

0.197

  Post-exercise,%

84.1 ± 7.8 (82.2~86.0)

92.1 ± 2.2 (91.1~93.1)

80.4 ± 6.5 (78.5~82.4)

< 0.001

  Pre-exercise

1.0 ± 1.3 (0.7~1.4)

0.5 ± 1.0 (0.1~1.0)

1.3 ± 1.4 (0.8~1.7)

0.032

  Post-exercise

4.4 ± 1.5 (4.0~4.7)

3.4 ± 0.9 (2.9~3.8)

4.9 ± 1.4 (4.5~5.3)

< 0.001

6MWD, M

417.7 ± 119.8 (388.2~477.1)

487.0 ± 65.0 (457.4~516.6)

385.3 ± 126.1 (347.4~423.2)

< 0.001

Severe exacerbation (times/year)

2.3 ± 4.0 (1.3~3.3)

0.8 ± 1.3 (0.2~1.4)

3.0 ± 4.6 (1.6~4.4)

0.023

Short-term systemic corticosteroid loading^a (days)

2.9 ± 6.6 (1.3~4.5)

0.7 ± 2.1 (− 0.3~1.6)

4.0 ± 7.7 (1.7~6.3)

0.0496