Table 1.
Characteristics of the 95 patients taking part in the study
| Asthma n (%) | COPD/Both n (%) | All n (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 46 (48.4) | 49 (51.6) | 95 (100) |
| Age 65 years or more | 17 (37.0) | 28 (57.1) | 45 (47.4) |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 17 (37.0) | 18 (36.7) | 35 (36.8) |
| Female | 29 (63.0) | 31 (63.3) | 60 (63.2) |
| Smoking status | |||
| Never smoker | 18 (39.1) | 8 (16.3) | 26 (27.4) |
| Current smoker | 12 (26.1) | 18 (36.7) | 30 (31.6) |
| Ex-smoker | 16 (34.8) | 23 (46.9) | 39 (41.1) |
| Spirometry at baseline | |||
| FEV1/FVC < 0.7 | 7 (15.2) | 32 (65.3) | 39 (41.1) |
| Respiratory symptoms | |||
| Dyspnea, bothersome or very bothersome | 42 (91.3) | 47 (95.9) | 89 (93.7) |
| very bothersome | 12 (26.1) | 19 (38.8) | 31 (32.6) |
| Phlegm, bothersome or very bothersome | 35 (76.1) | 36 (73.5) | 71 (74.7) |
| very bothersome | 9 (19.6) | 9 (18.4) | 18 (18.9) |
| Purulence | 23 (50.0) | 21 (42.9) | 44 (46.3) |
| Coughing, bothersome or very bothersome | 42 (91.3) | 43 (87.8) | 85 (89.5) |
| very bothersome | 16 (34.8) | 15 (30.6) | 31 (32.6) |
| Chest findings | |||
| Prolonged expiration | 16 (34.8) | 26 (53.1) | 42 (44.2) |
| Wheezes/rhonchi | 16 (34.8) | 31 (63.3) | 47 (49.5) |
| Diminished breath sounds | 4 (8.7) | 15 (30.6) | 19 (20.0) |
| Crackles | 10 (21.7) | 18 (36.7) | 28 (29.5) |
| Any abnormal chest finding | 24 (52.2) | 39 (79.6) | 63 (66.3) |
| Admitted to hospital due to exacerbation the year before baseline | 3 (6.6) | 3 (6.1) | 6 (6.4) |
| Exacerbation treated with antibiotics the year before baseline | 13 (28.3) | 24 (49.0) | 37 (38.9) |
| Exacerbation treated with systemic corticosteroids the year before baseline | 7 (15.2) | 24 (49.0) | 31 (32.6) |