Table 2 Inflammatory parameters at start and end of the run‐in period.
| Start run‐in | End run‐in | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sputum eosinophils (×104/g) | 2.1 (1.4) | 0.6 (1.3) | <0.001 |
| Sputum eosinophils (%) | 3.2 (1.3) | 0.8 (1.3) | <0.001 |
| Sputum ECP (ng/ml) | 97 (1.3) | 65 (1.3) | 0.06 |
| Serum IL‐5 (pg/ml) | 1.1 (1.2 | 0.6 (1.2) | <0.001 |
| Sputum neutrophils (×104/g) | 28.1 (1.3) | 29.1 (1.3) | 0.98 |
| Sputum IL‐8 (ng/ml) | 400 (1.4) | 338 (1.8) | 0.62 |
| Sputum MPO (μg/ml) | 1308 (1.3) | 1273 (1.3) | 0.95 |
| RCEs (×103) | 76 (1.2) | 52 (1.2) | 0.006 |
| Sputum α2‐macroglobulin (ng/ml) | 1388 (1.3) | 984 (1.3) | 0.04 |
| Sputum albumin (μg/ml) | 24 (1.3) | 21 (1.3) | 0.99 |
All values are expressed as geometric mean (SE).
ECP, eosinophil cationic protein; IL, interleukin; MPO, myeloperoxidase; RCEs, relative coefficient of excretion, representing the ratio of α2‐macroglobulin to albumin in induced sputum.