TABLE 5.
Change in asthma profile from V2 (8 weeks) to V4 (36 weeks)
| Unadjusted FeNO group | Adjusted FeNO group | Adjusted p-value | |
| Asthma-related QoL | |||
| ACQ# | −0.2 (−0.7–0.3) | −0.1 (−0.6–0.3) | 0.5 |
| Mini AQLQ# | 0.2 (−0.3–0.6) | 0.1 (−0.3–0.6) | 0.6 |
| Spirometry | |||
| RDR %·mg−1#,¶ | 0.16 (−0.14–0.46) | −0.02 (−0.05–0.02) | 0.3 |
| Mean FEV1 L | 0.08 (−0.01–0.17) | 0.07 (−0.02–0.16) | 0.1 |
| Mean FEV1 % | 2.5 (−0.3–5.2) | 2.3 (−0.5–5.0) | 0.1 |
| Mean FVC L# | −0.10 (−0.22–0.03) | −0.10 (−0.23–0.03) | 0.1 |
| Mean FEV1/FVC %# | 0.03 (−0.00–0.05) | 0.02 (−0.00–0.05) | 0.1 |
| FeNO ppb# | −17 (−36–2) | −13 (−20– −5) | 0.001 |
| Present treatment | |||
| ICS dose µg# | −25 (−224–174) | 5 (−194–204) | 1.0 |
| LABA dose µg# | 29 (−105–162) | 42 (−121–205) | 0.5 |
| Inflammatory features | |||
| Leukocyte ×109·L−1# | −2.8 (−9.4–3.8) | −3.1 (−9.8–3.6) | 0.4 |
| Eosinophil ×109·L−1# | −0.06 (−0.21–0.09) | 0 (−0.10–0.11) | 0.9 |
| Neutrophil ×109·L−1# | −0.2 (−1.2–0.9) | −0.2 (−1.1–0.7) | 0.6 |
| CRP mg·L−1# | −0.7 (−2.5–1.1) | −0.7 (−2.2–0.9) | 0.4 |
| IgE kU·L−1 | 34 (−94–161) | 12 (−66–91) | 0.8 |
| IL-6 pg·mg−1 | −0.4 (−1.4–0.5) | −0.2 (−0.7–0.3) | 0.4 |
| IL-8 pg·mg−1 | 71.2 (−155.8–298.2) | 62.4 (−143.9–268.7) | 0.6 |
| Sputum inflammation | |||
| Eosinophils %# | −9.14 (−18.50–0.21) | −7.91 (−16.83–1.01) | 0.1 |
| Neutrophils % | 2.1 (−17.3–21.5) | 2.2 (−16.4–20.7) | 0.8 |
| Macrophages % | 2.1 (−12.9–17.2) | 1.2 (−12.3–14.7) | 0.9 |
| Columnar epithelia %# | 4.9 (−7.9–17.7) | 4.8 (−8.1–17.6) | 0.5 |
Data are presented as mean differences (95% CI) based on linear regression analyses, unless otherwise stated. Changes in the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) group were used as reference. Crude and adjusted analyses were performed for the baseline level of the outcome. FeNO: exhaled nitric oxide fraction; QoL: quality of life; AQLQ: Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire; RDR: response dose ratio; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC: forced vital capacity; ICS: inhaled corticosteroids; LABA: long-acting β2-agonist; CRP: C-reactive protein; Ig: immunoglobulin; IL: interleukin. #: in cases where the model assumptions were violated the effect estimates were checked with robust linear regression; ¶: analysis of 26 patients in the FeNO group and 28 patients in the ACQ group.