Table 1.
Characteristics of severe and non-severe asthmatics in two subpopulations of patients in whom SCF and c-kit serum levels were determined (* p < 0,05)
| SCF group (n = 88) | Sc-kit group (n = 63) | |||
| Non-severe asthma | Severe asthma | Non-severe asthma | Severe asthma | |
| Number of patients | 32 | 56 | 22 | 41 |
| Female/male | 15/17 | 41/15 | 14/8 | 30/11 |
| Age mean (range) | 39,9 (19–57) | 51 (23–74) | 41 (24–64) | 49,3 (22–74) |
| Patients with positive SPT | 28 (87%) | 39 (69%) | 17 | 27 |
| Aspirin hypersensitivity | 15 (47%) | 27 (48%) | 5 | 18 |
| Nasal polyps | 13 (40%) | 18 (32%) | 4 | 10 |
| FEV1% of predictive value (mean) | 97% | 73%* | 98% | 75% |
| Patients on inhaled GCS (n) | 32 | 56 | 22 | 41 |
| -mean daily dose (mcg of budesonide) |
612 | 1990* | 540 | 2035* |
| Patients on oral GCS | 0 | 33* | 0 | 22* |
| -mean daily dose (mg of prednisone) |
0 | 7,79* | 0 | 3,8* |
| Total IgE (kU/ml) | 322,4 +/- 87 | 317,9 +/- 62 | 302,3+/- 57 | 335,9 +/- 92 |
| ECP (μg/ml) | 8,4 +/- 1,76 | 12,92 +/- 1,45 | 10,16 +/- 1,26 | 12,21 +/- 1,97 |
| Eosinophil count (cells/μl) | 266 +/- 62 | 351,4 +/- 36,5 | 290,8 +/- 46,5 | 313,8 +/- 40,25 |