Levels of (A) ECP (**P<0.01 vs. AECOPD and AECOP/PE at ECP in male; ***P<0.001 vs. AECOPD and AECOPD/PE at ECP in female), (B) EDN (**P<0.01 vs. AECOPD/PE at EDN in male, and vs. AECOPD and AECOPD/PE at EDN in female; ***P<0.001 vs. AECOPD at EDN in male), (C) EPX (*P<0.05 vs. AECOPD at EPX in male, and vs. AECOPD and AECOPD/PE at EPX in female) and (D) MBP classified by sex in normal controls and patients with AECOPD/PE or AECOPD (**P<0.01 vs. AECOPD at MBP in male; ***P<0.001 vs. AECOPD/PE at MBP in male). Normal controls (males, 23; females, 12); patients with AECOPD (males, 30; females, 17); patients with AECOPD/PE, (males, 20; females, 10). ECP, eosinophil cationic protein; EDN, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin; EPX, eosinophil peroxidase; MBP, major basic protein; AECOPD, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; PE, pulmonary embolism.