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Table 1 Clinical characteristics at baseline and exacerbation for all subjects and those assessed or not assessed at exacerbation

From: Severe exacerbations in moderate-to-severe asthmatics are associated with increased pro-inflammatory and type 1 mediators in sputum and serum

Variable

Baseline All (n = 102)

Baseline for subjects not assessed at exacerbation (n = 65)

Baseline for subjects assessed at exacerbation (n = 37)

P-value∥

Change between Stable and Exacerbation (n = 37)

P-value¶

Male (n [%])

49 (48)

33 (51)

16 (43)

0.47

  

Age (year)

53 (1)

52 (2)

55 (2)

0.21

  

BMI (kg/m2)

30 (1)

29 (1)

32 (1)

0.034

  

Current or Ex-smokers (n [%])

39 (38)

31 (48)

8 (22)

0.009

  

Pack yearsb,c

10 (2 to 14)

10 (2 to 14)

9 (2 to 16)

0.73

  

Exacerbations (OCS courses in last year) b

3 (2 to 4)

2.5 (2 to 3)

3 (2 to 5)

0.21

  

GINA Classification III/IV/V (n)

5/45/52

3/37/25

2/8/27

0.002

  

Daily ICS dose (BDP eq μg/day) b

1600 (1000 to 2000)

1600 (1000 to 2000)

1600 (800 to 2000)

0.4

  

Daily Prednisolone dose (mg) b,d

10 (7.5 to 15)

10 (5 to 10)

10 (7.5 to 15)

0.2

  

Asthma Quality of life Questionnaire (AQLQ)

4.82 (0.14)

4.77 (0.16)

4.91 (0.25)

0.62

  

Asthma Control Questionnaire-6 (ACQ-6)

1.95 (0.13)

1.97 (0.17)

1.92 (0.2)

0.87

  

Atopy (n [%])

48 (47)

28 (43)

20 (54)

0.29

  

IgEa

143 (106 to 194)

143 (96 to 212)

144 (88 to 234)

0.98

  

Pre FEV1/FVC ratio (%)

68.4 (1.4)

68.7 (1.9)

68.0 (1.9)

0.81

  

Pre FEV1 (L)

2.14 (0.07)

2.23 (0.09)

2.00 (0.12)

0.13

−0.15 (0.05)

0.007

Post FEV1 (L)

2.31 (0.08)

2.39 (0.09)

2.18 (0.14)

0.19

−0.21 (0.07)

0.005

Pre FEV1 (%)

74 (2)

76 (2)

72 (4)

0.38

−5.16 (2.24)

0.03

Post FEV1 (%)

80 (2)

82 (3)

76 (4)

0.24

−5.99 (1.87)

0.004

VAS cough (mm)

33 (3)

35 (3)

29 (4)

0.26

34 (6)

< 0.0001

VAS dyspnoea (mm)

35 (3)

36 (3)

34 (5)

0.79

31 (5)

< 0.0001

VAS wheeze (mm)

26 (3)

27 (3)

254 (5)

0.76

28 (5)

< 0.0001

TCC (106/g sputum)a

1.52 (1.20 to 1.93)

1.56 (1.15 to 2.12)

1.46 (0.98 to 2.16)

0.79

2.3-fold (1.1 to 4.9)

0.033

Sputum eosinophil cell count (%)a

1.9 (1.3 to 2.9)

2.5 (1.5 to 4.1)

1.2 (0.6 to 2.4)

0.093

1.0-fold (0.4 to 2.1)

0.91

Sputum neutrophil cell count (%)

62 (3)

60 (3)

65 (4)

0.32

−3 (6)

0.67

Blood eosinophil cell count (× 109 cells/L)a

0.24 (0.20 to 0.29)

0.26 (0.21 to 0.31)

0.21 (0.14 to 0.32)

0.31

0.70-fold (0.41 to 1.20)

0.19

Blood neutrophil cell count (×109 cells/L)

5.7 (0.2)

5.3 (0.3)

6.2 (0.4)

0.076

0.38 (0.36)

0.3

Fraction of exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) (ppb)a

23 (20 to 27)

21 (18 to 25)

27 (20 to 35)

0.13

1.3-fold (0.9 to 1.8)

0.1

  1. Data presented as mean (standard error of mean [SEM]) unless stated; ageometric mean (95% CI); bmedian (first and 3rd quartiles); cpack year history for current and ex-smokers; ddose of prednisolone in those receiving prednisolone; ∥P-value for unpaired comparison within baseline (stable) between these who assessed and not assessed at exacerbation; ¶P-value for paired comparison between stable (baseline) and exacerbation visits. Abbreviations: OCS Oral corticosteroid, ICS Inhaled corticosteroid, BDP eq Beclomethasone dipropionate equivalent, VAS Visual analogue scale, BMI Body Mass Index, FEV1 Forced Expiratory Volume in the First Second, FVC Forced Vital Capacity