Table 3.

Results of cell analyses in induced sputum

Exacerbation	V+	V-	V + V+	V + V-
Patients (N)	33	10	9	20
Sputum weight (mg)	365 [201–560]	330.5 [90–710]	490 [460–575]	275 [128–630]
n ×103 total cells/mg	6 [3.4–16.1]	13.6 [7.8–24.5]	10 [3.5–20]	5.5 [2.8–11.1]
Epithelial cells (%)	14 [8–24]	11.7 [5–14]	8 [6–12]	20 [11–24.5]
Neutrophils (%)	68 [45.5–71]	47.5 [33–65.5]	68 [31–69.5]	65.5 [45.2–69.7]
Eosinophils (%)	3.5 **[2–8.5]	1 [0.5–2]	2 [1–14.5]	4.25 [2.3–9]
Macrophages (%)	10 * [7–21]	32 [9–51]	10 [8–21]	12 [6.5–21]
Lymphocytes (%)	1 [0.5–2]	2 [1–3]	1 [0.5–1.5]	1 [0.5–2]
Steady state
Patients (N)	16	5	7	8
Sputum weight (mg)	200 [85–325]	320 [15–330]	240 [40–420]	200 [135–260]
n ×103 total cells/mg	3.5 [2.2–15.6]	6.67 [3.1–9.4]	16.7 [2–24]	2.4 [2.1–3.5]
Epithelial cells (%)	22 [13–35]	48 [8–66]	21 [6–28]	34.5 [20.5–50.3]
Neutrophils (%)	26 [14–57.5]	25.5 [21.5–56]	57.5 #[34–81]	16.3 [10.5–39]
Eosinophils (%)	1 *[0.5–8]	0.5 [0–0.5]	1 [0.5–26]	1.5 [0.5–8]
Macrophage (%)	12 [6–38]	23.5 [10–30.5]	9 [5–11]	27.5 [9–38.5]
Lymphocytes (%)	1 [0.5–2]	3 [2–5]	1 [0.5–2]	2.5 [1–5.5]

Patients were evaluated during the exacerbation and at steady state. Results were expressed as numbers and medians with interquartile range between brackets. Differences were considered as statistically significant after analysis by Mann–Whitney (*: p < 0.05; **: p < 0.01 versus V–) (^#: p < 0.05 versus V + V–). ASD: absolute standardized difference (%)