Table 1. Clinical characteristics and microbiological results.
| Characteristics | All patients (n=52) | Male (n=24) | Female (n=28) | P§ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, year | 49.06±12.49 | 52.25±12.7 | 46.32±11.85 | 0.088 |
| Smoker | 14 (26.93) | 11 (48.53) | 3 (10.71) | 0.017 |
| Positive sputum cultures | 6 (11.54) | 3 (12.50) | 3 (10.71) | NA |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | 3 (5.77) | 1 (4.17) | 2 (7.14) | NA |
| Haemophilus influenzae | 2 (3.85) | 2 (8.33) | 0 | NA |
| Haemophilus parainfluenzae | 1 (1.92) | 0 | 1 (3.57) | NA |
| Infection* | 16 (30.77) | 6 (25.00) | 10 (35.71) | NA |
| Aspergillus species | 8 (15.38) | 3 (12.50) | 5 (17.86) | NA |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | 6 (11.53) | 2 (8.33) | 4 (14.28) | NA |
| Bacterial infection | 2 (3.85) | 1 (4.16) | 1 (3.57) | NA |
| Inflammatory cell infiltration** | ||||
| Eosinophilic | 32 (61.53) | 15 (62.50) | 17 (60.71) | NA |
| Neutrophilic | 41 (78.84) | 22 (91.67) | 19 (67.85) | 0.142 |
| Lymphocytic | 39 (75.00) | 15 (62.50) | 24 (85.71) | 0.046 |
Data are presented as number (%) and mean ± standard deviation. §, the statistical analysis was performed using chi-square tests; *, infection is evidenced by histopathological examination with specific stain in the excised lung tissue; as for TB detection, patients were diagnosed through the specific pathologic change of tuberculosis in patients’ biopsy samples, such as caseous necrosis; **, inflammatory cell infiltration is categorized by more than 10%.