Table 1. Characteristics of male individuals aged 18–55 years in combination with atopy defined as one or more positive skin test (wheal ≥5 mm).

	Asthma		Unaffected
Characteristics	Nonatopic	Atopic	Nonatopic	Atopic
Number	14	17	34	15
Mean age, years	30.7	35.4	36.6	31.4
Median FEV1 (I) [range]	3.6 [2.1–5.5]	3.4 [1.7–5.5]	4.3 [2.7–6.7]	4.4 [2.9–5.9]
Median FEV1 % predicted [range]	83.7 [49–107]	80.5 [19–155]	101.5 [77–138]	99.4 [81–122]
More than 9% predicted reversible* (%) [n]	57.1 [8]	70.5 [12]	8.8 [3]	13.2 [2]
C20 ≤ 32 mg/ml (%) [n]	85.7 [12]	100 [17]	0	0
Ig E ≥ 120 (%) [n]	14.3 [2]	58.8 [10]	17.6 [6]	40.0 [6]
Ig E ≥ 100 (%) [n]	14.3 [2]	64.7 [11]	20.5 [7]	46.6 [7]

FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in the first second; PC₂₀, provocative concentration of histamine causing 20% drop in FEV₁.; 30-sec methods, i.e. healthy is <32 mg/ml.

^*Reversibility of airway obstruction after inhalation of 400 μg of salbutamol