Table 3.

Total and differential cell counts in sputum and immunocytochemistry

	Smokers	Ex-smokers	P
	n = 7	n = 20
Total cell counts (mL/g sputum)	3.1 (1.85–14.14)	9.7 (5.08–22.37)	ns
Differential cell counts (%)
Neutrophils	82 (55.1–84.1)	78 (59.8–90.3)	ns
Macrophages	12.4 (6.7–33.8)	9.8 (5–34)	ns
Lymphocytes	2.1 (2–5.1)	1.4 (0.9–2.3)	ns
Eosinophils	3.3 (0.5–4.2)	0.8 (0–3.3)	ns
Leptin expression (% positive cells)	n = 6	n = 10
Neutrophils	13.2 (0–33.3)	16.2 (12.5–62.8)	ns
Macrophages	62.7 (28.6–69.6)	47.2 (8.1–80.4)	ns
Lymphocytes	0 (0–0)	0 (0–0)	ns
Eosinophils	30.9 (0–90)	37.5 (0–100)	ns
Leptin receptor expression (% positive cells)
Neutrophils	1 (0–10)	4.3 (0–75)	0.02
Macrophages	11.5 (0–28.6)	17.1 (0–75)	ns
Lymphocytes	0 (0–0)	0 (0–10)	ns
Eosinophils	29 (0–80)	33.3 (0–100)	ns

Notes: Results are expressed as median and 25%–75% percentiles; statistical significance between the two groups was detected by a nonparametric Mann–Whitney test.