Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the study population.
| Baseline characteristics | Allergic asthma group (n = 80) | Healthy control group (n = 40) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years, mean ± SD) | 42.58 ± 11.22 | 40.35 ± 9.85 | 0.316 |
| Gender (male, n (%)) | 38 (47.50%) | 19 (47.50%) | 1.000 |
| BMI (kg/m2, mean ± SD) | 25.76 ± 3.54 | 24.98 ± 3.17 | 0.285 |
| Allergen type [n (%)] | |||
| Pollen | 45 (56.25%) | 0 (0%) | <0.001 |
| Dust mites | 35 (43.75%) | 0 (0%) | <0.001 |
| Disease duration [years, median (IQR)] | 8 (4–15) | N/A | - |
| Smoking history [n (%)] | 28 (35.00%) | 10 (25.00%) | 0.278 |
| Past medical history [n (%)] | 24 (30.00%) | 8 (20.00%) | 0.262 |
| Treatment [n (%)] | |||
| Corticosteroid therapy | 50 (62.50%) | N/A | - |
| No medication | 30 (37.50%) | N/A | - |
| FEV₁% predicted (%, mean ± SD) | 79.35 ± 6.42 | 89.22 ± 5.91 | <0.001 |
| FEV₁/FVC (%, mean ± SD) | 70.14 ± 4.98 | 80.10 ± 3.44 | <0.001 |
| Total IgE [IU/mL, median (IQR)] | 210.46 (158.81–282.33) | 45.37 (30.52–59.69) | <0.001 |
| Peripheral blood eosinophils (×109/L, mean ± SD) | 0.36 ± 0.04 | 0.20 ± 0.03 | <0.001 |