Table 2.
Normal values for sputum cell counts.
| Cell count | Mean (s.d.) | Median (IQR) | 90th centile |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCC ( × 106/g) | 4.1 (4.8) | 2.4 (3.2) | 9.7 |
| N (%) | 37.5 (20.1) | 36.7 (29.5) | 64.4 |
| Eo (%) | 0.4 (0.9) | 0.0 (0.3) | 1.1 |
| M (%) | 58.8 (21.0) | 60.8 (28.9) | 86.1 |
| L (%) | 1.0 (1.1) | 0.5 (1.8) | 2.6 |
| MC (%) | 0.0 (0.04) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.04 |
| BE (%) | 1.6 (3.9) | 0.3 (1.3) | 4.4 |
TCC: total cell count, N: neutrophil, Eo: eosinophil, M: macrophage, L: lymphocyte, MC: metachromatic cell, BE: bronchial epithelial cell, s.d.: standard deviation, IQR: interquartile range.