Table 2.

The estimated differences between time points with standard errors and p-values for the differences. All data were first log transformed except FEV₁ and 1 was added to the CRP values as one measurement was recorded as 0. All estimates are produced by a mixed effects model.

Variables	aInitial-bInterim Estimate and p-value		Interim-cFinal Estimate and p-value		Initial-Final Estimate and p-value		Initial-dClinic Estimate and p-value
Sputum club cell (log ng/mL)	0.091 ± 0.155	0.557	−0.142 ± 0.201	0.481	−0.051 ± 0.196	0.795	−0.529 ± 0.167	0.001
FEV1 (absolute, L)	−0.222 ± 0.035	<0.001	−0.072 ± 0.043	0.094	−0.294 ± 0.041	<0.001	−0.255 ± 0.034	<0.001
Sputum NE (log μg/mL)	0.195 ± 0.293	0.505	0.149 ± 0.419	0.723	0.344 ± 0.410	0.402	0.111 ± 0.265	0.674
Sputum IL-8 (log pg/mL)	0.100 ± 0.154	0.515	0.463 ± 0.220	0.035	0.563 ± 0.215	0.009	−0.146 ± 0.139	0.294
Plasma IL-8 (log pg/mL)	0.222 ± 0.174	0.204	−0.315 ± 0.257	0.220	−0.093 ± 0.253	0.713	0.561 ± 0.213	0.008
Plasma CRP (log mg/L)	0.327 ± 0.111	0.003	0.318 ± 0.144	0.027	0.646 ± 0.143	<0.001	0.570 ± 0.111	<0.001

^aInitial = initial pulmonary exacerbation sample during hospitalization

^bInterim = middle pulmonary exacerbation sample during hospitalization

^cFinal = final exacerbation sample prior to discharge from the hospital

^dClinic = sample collected during an outpatient clinic visit