Table 1.
Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Participants
| Enrolled Patients | p | Patients with Success Samples | p | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild-to-Moderate Group (n=57) | Severe-to-Very-Severe Group (n=45) | Mild-to-Moderate Group (n=26) | Severe-to-Very-Severe Group (n=28) | |||
| Sex (male) (N, %) | 42 (73.7) | 41 (91.10) | 0.039 | 20 (76.92) | 24 (85.71) | 0.494 |
Age (years) ( ) |
65.42±7.29 | 66.78±5.94 | 0.997 | 66.65±7.62 | 66.54±4.74 | 0.946 |
| Symptoms (N, %) | ||||||
| Cough | 30 (52.60) | 22 (48.90) | 0.842 | 13 (50.00) | 15 (53.57) | 1.000 |
| Expectoration | 37 (64.90) | 34 (75.60) | 0.283 | 17 (65.38) | 24 (85.71) | 0.114 |
| Polypnea | 38 (66.70) | 33 (73.3) | 0.520 | 18 (69.23) | 20 (71.43) | 1.000 |
| Previous history (N, %) | ||||||
| Hypertension | 20 (35.10) | 16 (35.60) | 1.000 | 8 (30.77) | 13 (46.43) | 0.275 |
| Diabetes | 8 (14.00) | 4 (8.90) | 0.542 | 4 (15.38) | 3 (10.71) | 0.699 |
| Arrhythmia | 6 (10.50) | 4 (8.90) | 0.335 | 2 (7.69) | 4 (14.29) | 0.670 |
| Cardiac Dysfunction | 2 (3.50) | 0 (0.00) | 0.502 | 0 (0.00) | 0 (0.00) | / |
| Coronary Artery Disease | 5 (8.80) | 3 (6.70) | 1.000 | 3 (11.54) | 2 (7.14) | 0.663 |
| Hyperlipidemia | 3 (5.30) | 1 (2.20) | 0.628 | 1 (3.85) | 1 (3.57) | 1.000 |
| Other complications | 15 (26.30) | 9 (20.00) | 0.490 | 7 (26.92) | 6 (21.43) | 0.754 |
SGRQ ( ) |
25.85±17.08 | 35.88±18.43 | 0.006 | 25.23±17.53 | 40.00±17.00 | 0.003 |
| mMRC (N, %) | 0.084 | 0.081 | ||||
| 0 | 19 (38.80) | 7 (18.40) | 10 (38.46) | 4 (14.29) | ||
| 1 | 18 (36.70) | 23 (60.50) | 8 (30.77) | 15 (53.57) | ||
| 2 | 8 (16.30) | 7 (18.40) | 5 (19.23) | 6 (21.43) | ||
| 3 | 4 (8.20) | 1 (2.60) | 2 (7.69) | 0 (0.00) | ||
CAT ( ) |
17.50±5.40 | 19.71±6.45 | 0.119 | 18.11±5.29 | 19.46±7.13 | 0.494 |
| FeNO [M (P25, P75)] | 26 (17, 39) | 22.5 (15.75, 35) | 0.270 | 24 (17, 36.75) | 19 (15, 28) | 0.183 |
| Treatments (N, %) | ||||||
| Mono Bronchodilator | 19 (33.3) | 6 (13.3) | 0.022 | 9 (34.62) | 6 (21.43) | 0.366 |
| Dual Bronchodilator | 4 (7.0) | 8 (17.80) | 0.125 | 2 (7.69) | 4 (14.29) | 0.670 |
| ICS+LABA/ICS+LAMA | 14 (24.60) | 8 (17.80) | 0.473 | 5 (19.23) | 5 (17.86) | 1.000 |
| ICS+LABA+LAMA | 16 (28.10) | 23 (51.10) | 0.024 | 7 (26.92) | 13 (46.43) | 0.167 |
| No Inhaled Medication | 4 (7.00) | 0 (00.00) | 0.128 | 3 (11.54) | 0 (0.00) | 0.105 |
| Acute Exacerbation (over the past year) (N, %) | 10 (17.50) | 14 (31.10) | 0.158 | 7 (26.92) | 8 (28.57) | 1.000 |
Notes: Continuous data with a normal distribution are expressed as 
, while continuous data without a normal distribution are expressed as M (P25, P75).
Abbreviations: N, number; 
, mean ± standard deviation; M, median; SGRQ, St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire; mMRC, modified British Medical Research Council; CAT, COPD Assessment Test; FeNO, Fraction exhaled nitric oxide; ICS, inhaled corticosteroids; LABA, long-acting β-agonist; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonist.