Table 2.
Characteristics at baseline (mean, range). No significant differences were found between any of the groups in terms of gender, age, smoking and lung function or between the two allergic groups in terms of allergy variables.
| Control group (n = 5) | Allergic rhinitis (n = 9) | Allergic asthma (n = 7) | |
| Gender (male/female) | 2/3 | 8/1 | 5/2 |
| Age | 38 (27–58) | 43 (24–66) | 44 (27–56) |
| Ex-smokers | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| SPT birch mm2 | 0 | 47.1 (20–88) | 43.6 (26–64) |
| Specific IgE for birch kU/L | 0 | 3.1 (2–4) | 3.4 (2–5) |
| *Number of positive SPT | 0 | 4 (0–4) | 5 (1–6) |
| FEV1 (L) | 3.59 (3.02–3.95) | 4.0 (2.4–4.9) | 3.41 (2.56–3.97) |
| FEV1 (% of predicted) | 105 (88–125) | 102 (75–139) | 96 (83–108) |
| PEFR (L/min) | 571 (348–854) | 615 (415–826) | 506 (347–652) |
| PEFR (% of predicted) | 117 (84–169) | 113 (82–140) | 100 (73–133) |
* In addition to birch