Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of subjects in the Asklepios Study.
| Subject Characteristics | Control Subjects (n = 1790) |
Asthma (n = 160) |
COPD (n = 206) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (year) | 56.0 ± 5.9 | 55.2 ± 6.2 | 57.3 ± 5.7 * |
| Male (%) | 841 (47.0%) | 74 (46.3%) | 130 (63.1%) * |
| Higher education | 685 (38.5%) | 55 (34.6%) | 79 (38.7%) |
| Pack-years nicotine (year) | 0.0 (0.0–7.5) | 0.0 (0.0–6.5) | 8.8 (0.0–27.0) * |
| Former smoker | 650 (36.3%) | 60 (37.2%) | 71 (34.5%) |
| Current smoker | 152 (8.5%) | 19 (11.9%) | 59 (28.6%) * |
| Cardiovascular risk factors | |||
| Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 130.2 ± 15.1 | 129.7 ± 13.3 | 129.4 ± 14.9 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 81.6 ± 9.9 | 82.1 ± 9.6 | 80.2 ± 10.1 * |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 26.8 ± 4.5 | 27.9 ± 5.4 * | 25.8 ± 3.9 * |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dL) | 209.7 ± 40.0 | 209.3 ± 36.6 | 204.9 ± 38.1 |
| Glycaemia (mg/dL) | 96.6 ± 16.3 | 97.2 ± 16.2 | 96.4 ± 13.7 |
| Inflammation | |||
| High sensitive CRP (mg/L) | 0.99 (0.53–2.16) | 1.28 (0.67–2.66) * | 0.91 (0.48–1.85) |
| White blood cell count (109/L) | 6.7 ± 1.8 | 6.8 ± 1.8 | 7.1 ± 2.0 * |
| Eosinophil percentage (%) | 2.0 (1.3–3.0) | 2.4 (1.7–3.8) * | 2.3 (1.5–3.4) * |
| Lung function | |||
| FEV1 percent predicted (%) | 104.6 ± 12.9 | 96.4 ± 15.9 * | 87.3 ± 18.2 * |
| FVC percent predicted (%) | 104.7 ±12.9 | 100.4 ±13.8 * | 105.6 ± 18.7 * |
| FEV1/FVC (%) | 78.9 ± 4.2 | 75.8 ± 6.3 * | 64.5 ± 5.9 * |
| Respiratory symptoms in the past 12 months | 603 (34.4%) | 117 (73.6%) * | 96 (48.0%) * |
| Comorbidities | |||
| Arterial hypertension | 781 (43.6%) | 78 (48.8%) | 95 (45.9%) |
| Overweight (BMI ≥ 25 and < 30 kg/m2) | 759 (42.4%) | 72 (45.0%) | 85 (41.1%) |
| Obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) | 379 (21.2%) | 42 (26.3%) | 23 (11.2%) * |
| Type 2 diabetes | 118 (6.6%) | 14 (8.8%) | 15 (7.3%) |
| Mild renal function impairment (eGFR 60–89) | 1137 (63.6%) | 98 (61.3%) | 132 (63.6%) |
| Moderate to severe renal function impairment (eGFR < 60) | 70 (3.9%) | 9 (5.6%) | 8 (3.9%) |
| Atopy | 278 (16.7%) | 81 (53.6%) * | 35 (18.6%) |
| Laboratory parameters | |||
| eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) | 84.9 ± 17.1 | 83.5 ± 16.8 | 84.9 ± 16.4 |
| Creatinine (mg/dL) | 8.8 ± 1.7 | 8.9 ± 1.8 | 9.1 ± 1.7 * |
| Microalbuminuria (mg/L) | 6.8 (4.4–11.6) | 6.3 (4.7–10.9) | 6.4 (4.2–10.3) |
| Hematocrit (%) | 41.5 ± 3.3 | 41.7 ± 3.3 | 42.2 ± 3.0 * |
| Thrombocytes (109/L) | 242.9 ± 56.3 | 249.5 ± 52.6 | 246.0 ± 50.5 |
| Respiratory medication | |||
| Respiratory medication use | 49 (2.7%) | 100 (62.5%) * | 30 (14.6%) * |
| Self-reported respiratory medication use | 40 (2.3%) | 95 (59.7%) * | 29 (14.5%) * |
| GP reported respiratory medication use (ATC R03): SABA LABA LAMA SAMA ICS Leukotriene-receptor antagonist |
19 (1.1%): 1 (0.1%) 10 (0.6%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 16 (0.9%) 2 (0.1%) |
80 (50.0%) *: 11 (6.9%) * 60 (37.5%) * 0 (0.0%) 1 (0.6%) 69 (43.1%) * 20 (12.5%) * |
19 (9.2%) *: 0 (0.0%) 17 (8.3%) * 2 (1.0%) * 0 (0.0%) 16 (7.8%) * 0 (0.0%) |
| Other medication | |||
| Anti-histaminica (ATC R06) | 49 (2.7%) | 27 (16.9%) * | 4 (1.9%) |
| OCS (ATC H02) | 16 (0.9%) | 1 (0.6%) | 3 (1.5%) |
eGFR = estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate; SABA = short-acting beta-agonist; LABA = long-acting beta-agonist; LAMA = long-acting muscarinic antagonist; ICS = inhalation corticosteroids; OCS = oral corticosteroids; * p < 0.05 compared to control subjects.