Table 4.
Clinical and inflammatory baseline characteristics in COPD subjects, with sputum sampling over 12 months
| Categorized according to qPCR threshold above 106 for HI-detection subgroups
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HI −/−, n=25 | HI +/−, n=21 | HI +/+, n=19 | P-value | |
| Exacerbations/yr during study* | 2.6 (1.7) | 2.6 (1.5) | 2.5 (1.2) | 0.975 |
| Proportion of frequent exacerbations‡ | 36% | 38% | 53% | 0.514 |
| Sputum total cell count, ×106/g¥ | 3.1 (1.7–5.4) | 2.4 (1.4–3.9) | 6.9 (3.7–12.8) | 0.026 |
| Sputum neutrophils (%)* | 67 (21) | 64 (22) | 79 (22) | 0.070 |
| Total sputum neutrophils, ×106/g¥ | 2.1 (1.1–3.9) | 1.5 (0.8–2.7) | 5.2 (2.4–11.2) | 0.023 |
| Δ sputum neutrophils | −2.4 (−9.9 to 5.1) | −12.2 (−22.7 to −1.7) | 0.6 (−11.6 to 12.7) | 0.160 |
| Δ FEV1 (L)# | −0.06 (−1.5 to 0.04) | −0.12 (−0.21 to −0.03) | −0.03 (−0.13 to 0.08) | 0.437 |
| Δ FVC# | −0.25 (−0.45 to −0.05) | −0.40 (−0.58 to −0.23) | −0.00 (−0.25 to 0.25) | 0.029 |
| Δ VAS cough (mm) | 2 (−6 to 9) | −2 (−17 to 13) | 3 (−9 to 15) | 0.809 |
| Δ VAS dyspnea (mm) | −2 (−15 to 11) | 23 (9 to 36) | 2 (−10 to 14) | 0.016 |
| Δ VAS production (mm) | 6 (−4 to 15) | −4 (−16 to 8) | −10 (−23 to 3) | 0.122 |
| Δ VAS purulence (mm) | 12 (3 to 21) | 0 (−14 to 15) | 2 (−13 to 17) | 0.307 |
| Δ SGRQ symptoms | −5.02 (−13.15 to 3.11) | 3.15 (−7.30 to 13.61) | 6.39 (−0.90 to 13.7) | 0.134 |
| Δ SGRQ activity | 1.63 (−5.00 to 8.26) | 5.63 (−3.87 to 15.13) | 6.09 (0.18 to 12.0) | 0.599 |
| Δ SGRQ impacts | −4.13 (−9.95 to 1.68) | 2.53 (−7.04 to 12.11) | 0.90 (−3.48 to 5.28) | 0.288 |
| Δ SGRQ total | −2.60 (−7.70 to 2.49) | 5.95 (−1.00 to 12.89) | 3.22 (−1.09 to 7.54) | 0.060 |
| Categorized according to detection of any HI PPM on standard culture subgroups
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HI PPM −/−, n=35 | HI PPM +/−, n=22 | HI PPM +/+, n=8 | P-value§ | |
| Exacerbations/yr during study* | 2.5 (1.6) | 2.6 (1.5) | 2.5 (1.1) | 0.997 |
| Proportion of frequent exacerbations‡ | 34% | 45% | 63% | 0.310 |
| Sputum total cell count, ×106/g¥ | 2.6 (1.6–4.1) | 4.4 (2.6–7.6) | 8.8 (3.2–24.1) | 0.037 |
| Sputum neutrophils (%)* | 66 (21) | 71 (25) | 81 (20) | 0.262 |
| Total sputum neutrophils, ×106/g¥ | 1.7 (1.0–2.9) | 2.9 (1.5–5.7) | 6.9 (2.1–22.7) | 0.058 |
| Δ sputum neutrophils | −2.0 (−8.4 to 4.3) | −12.3 (−22.9 to −1.73) | 8.0 (−13.9 to 30.0) | 0.055 |
| Δ FEV1 (L)# | −0.10 (−0.18 to −0.02) | −0.07 (−0.15 to 0.01) | 0.12 (−0.11 to 0.35) | 0.071 |
| Δ FVC# | −0.31 (−0.47 to −0.15) | −0.20 (−0.41 to 0.02) | 0.06 (−0.32 to 0.44) | 0.132 |
| Δ VAS cough (mm) | 2 (−7 to 11) | 4 (−8 to 15) | −9 (−26 to 9) | 0.484 |
| Δ VAS dyspnea (mm) | 6 (−5 to 17) | 15 (1 to 29) | −6 (−27 to 15) | 0.242 |
| Δ VAS production (mm) | 6 (−3 to 14) | −10 (−21 to 2) | −16 (−32 to 0) | 0.024 |
| Δ VAS purulence (mm) | 8 (−1 to 17) | 5 (−9 to 19) | −4 (−22 to 15) | 0.552 |
| Δ SGRQ symptoms | −1.26 (−7.84 to 5.31) | 1.11 (−8.33 to 10.56) | 8.15 (−7.81 to 24.11) | 0.476 |
| Δ SGRQ activity | −0.51 (−5.94 to 4.92) | 9.94 (2.25 to 17.64) | 7.15 (−1.86 to 16.16) | 0.050 |
| Δ SGRQ impacts | −3.38 (−8.48 to 1.73) | 2.13 (−5.19 to 9.46) | 1.91 (−3.60 to 7.43) | 0.337 |
| Δ SGRQ total | −1.28 (−5.50 to 2.95) | 4.21 (−2.09 to 10.51) | 4.35 (−1.29 to 10.00) | 0.213 |
Notes: N=65. Data were presented as mean difference (95% confidence interval) unless stated.
Mean (SD),
Geometric mean (95% confidence interval).
Frequent exacerbations was defined as the occurrence of three or more exacerbations during 12 months of study.
Postbronchodilator.
ANOVA or chi-square, as appropriate. Δ represents change from baseline over 12 months of study.
Abbreviations: −/−, never detected; +/−, sometimes detected; +/+, always detected +/+; ANOVA, analysis of variance; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FVC, forced vital capacity; HI, Haemophilus influenzae; PPM, potentially pathogenic microorganisms; qPCR, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; SD, standard deviation; SGRQ, St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire; VAS, visual analog scale.