Table 1.

Distribution of demographic characteristics for subjects in the LHS

	Nondecliners (n = 285)	Fast Decliners (n = 262)	P Value
Men/Women	186/99	152/110	0.0942
Age, yr	47.7 ± 6.9	49.8 ± 6.3	0.0002
Smoking history, pack-years*	38.5 ± 18.3	43.2 ± 19.4	0.0038
ΔFEV1/yr, % predicted pre†	1.1 ± 0.7	−4.2 ± 1.1	<0.0001
ΔFEV1/yr, % predicted post‡	0.7 ± 0.9	−3.4 ± 1.3	<0.0001
Baseline FEV1, % predicted pre§	75.5 ± 8.1	72.5 ± 9.0	<0.0001
Baseline FEV1, % predicted post∥	79.7 ± 7.9	74.7 ± 9.2	<0.0001

Values are means ± SD for continuous data. FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s.

^*Number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day/number of years smoking.

^†Change in lung function over a 5 yr period per year as % predicted FEV₁ prebronchodilator.

^‡Change in lung function over a 5 yr period per year as % predicted FEV₁ postbronchodilator (3 missing values in fast decliners group and 4 missing values in nondecliners group).

^§Lung function at the start of the Lung Health Study (LHS) as measured by FEV₁(%) predicted prebronchodilator.

^∥Lung function at the start of the LHS as measured by FEV₁(%) predicted postbronchodilator.