Table 2. Clinical, spirometric, serological differences and outcomes in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) based on the classification by Greenberger et al with and without the presence of high attenuation mucus (HAM) and other radiologic findings (ORF).
| All patients (n = 234) | Without HAM (n = 185) | Without ORF (n = 207) | |||||
| Characteristics | ABPA-S (n = 55) | ABPA-CB (n = 179) | P value | ABPA-CB (n = 130) | P value | ABPA-CB (n = 152) | P value |
| Clinical history | |||||||
| Age, in years | 35.9 (13.4) | 33.6 (12.2) | 0.23 | 33.9 (12.3) | 0.37 | 34.1 (11.9) | 0.36 |
| Male Gender, No.(%) | 25 (45.5) | 98 (54.7) | 0.23 | 73 (56.2) | 0.18 | 83 (54.6) | 0.24 |
| Duration of asthma, in years | 6 (5–12) | 6 (4–14) | 0.85 | 7 (4–15) | 0.75 | 7 (4–15) | 0.82 |
| Spirometry , No.(%) | |||||||
| Normal | 15 (27.3) | 40 (22.3) | 0.33 | 21 (16.2) | 0.05 | 36 (23.9) | 0.55 |
| Mild obstruction | 14 (25.5) | 45 (25.1) | 34 (26.2) | 39 (25.7) | |||
| Moderate obstruction | 20 (36.4) | 55 (30.7) | 39 (30) | 48 (31.6) | |||
| Severe obstruction | 6 (10.9) | 39 (21.8) | 36 (27.7) | 29 (19.1) | |||
| Serological findings | |||||||
| Total IgE levels, IU/mL | 3850 (2650–7800) | 5400 (2859–10313) | 0.07 | 4689 (2619–7895) | 0.65 | 5457 (2867–10314) | 0.06 |
| A fumigatus specific IgE levels, kUA/L | 2.1 (0.95–9.5) | 4.8 (1.7–18) | 0.02 | 3.4 (1.4–13.8) | 0.19 | 5.6 (1.9–17.9) | 0.01 |
| Absolute eosinophil count, cells/µL | 620 (250–962) | 983 (558–1770) | 0.001 | 850 (475–1506) | 0.03 | 1048 (650–1800) | 0.0001 |
| Type III AST, No.(%) | 45 (81.8) | 136 (76) | 0.37 | 98 (75.4) | 0.34 | 120 (79.5) | 0.2 |
| Aspergillus precipitins, No.(%) | 48 (87.3) | 146 (82) | 0.36 | 103 (79.8) | 0.23 | 117 (77) | 0.46 |
| Clinical outcome | |||||||
| Number of relapses | 0 (0–1) | 2 (0–2) | 0.0001 | 1 (0–2) | 0.004 | 2 (0–2) | 0.0001 |
| Frequent (≥2) relapses, No. (%) | 8 (14.5) | 89 (49.7) | 0.0001 | 49 (37.6) | 0.002 | 75 (49.3) | 0.0001 |
Values are expressed as mean (SD) or median (IQR) unless otherwise stated; ABPA-S - serologic ABPA; ABPA-CB - ABPA with central bronchiectasis.
The A fumigatus specific IgE levels and eosinophil counts were higher in ABPA-CB compared to ABPA-S. The serological severity varies once patients with HAM and ORF are excluded. On removal of HAM (column 4), only the eosinophil counts retain significance, whereas on removal of ORF (column 6), both A fumigatus specific IgE levels and eosinophil counts remain significant.