Table 4. Comparison of correlation networks between healthy controls and COPD cases (non-eosinophilic and eosinophilic).
| Properties | Controls | Eosinophilic COPD | Non-eosinophilic COPD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of nodes | 63 | 66 | 66 |
| Number of edges | 121 | 209 | 187 |
| Average degree | 3.841 | 6.333 | 5.667 |
| Weighted average degree | 0.21 | 0.993 | 0.918 |
| Network diameter | 9 | 5 | 7 |
| Graph density | 0.062 | 0.097 | 0.087 |
| Average path length | 3.585 | 2.601 | 2.861 |
| Average Clustering coefficient | 0.301 | 0.263 | 0.289 |
| Hubs (nodes with degree ≥10 and within the top 15%) | Sputum lymphocyte count | Sputum anti-HSP47_IgG, serum anti-HSP47_IgM, serum anti-HSP70_IgM, sputum anti-HSP70_IgG, sputum anti-HSP70_IgM, sputum anti-CollagenI_IgG, sputum anti-CollagenII_IgG, serum anti-CollagenII_IgM, sputum anti-Vimentin_IgG, sputum anti-Vimentin_IgM, sputum anti-La_IgM, sputum anti-CENP_B_IgM | Sputum anti-HSP47_IgG, serum anti-HSP70_IgM, sputum anti-Elastin_IgG, sputum anti-CollagenI_IgG, serum anti-CollagenI_IgM, sputum anti-Vimentin_IgG, serum anti-Aggrecan_IgG, MMEF, FEV1%pred |
| Modularity | 4.174 | 1.133 | 1.412 |
| Module number | 16 | 6 | 15 |
| FEV1%pred-correlated nodes | Positive: none | Positive: MMEF, BMI, sputum anti-CollagenII_IgG, sputum anti-Elastin_IgM, sputum macrophage count | Positive: MMEF, sputum anti-CollagenII_IgG, sputum anti-Aggrecan_IgG |
| Negative: BMI, sputum lymphocyte count | Negative: CAT, mMRC, sputum neutrophil count, serum anti-HSP70_IgG | Negative: AE, CAT, mMRC, sputum neutrophil count, sputum anti-Aβ_IgM | |
| AE-correlated nodes | NA | Positive: CAT | Positive: CAT, mMRC, sputum anti-CollagenIV_IgG |
| Negative: serum anti-Elastin_IgG, sputum anti-CollagenIV_IgG | Negative: FEV1%pred, MMEF, sputum anti-Vimentin_IgG, sputum anti-CENP_B_IgG |
Eosinophilic COPD is defined as ≥3% sputum eosinophils, and non-eosinophilic COPD is defined as <3% sputum eosinophils. Aβ, amyloid-beta; BMI, body mass index; CAT, COPD assessment test score; FEV1%pred, forced expiratory volume in 1 s in the percentage of predicted; MMEF, maximal mid-expiratory flow; mMRC, modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scores; HSP47, heat shock protein 47; HSP70, heat shock protein 70; La, La/Sjögren syndrome type B antigen; CENP-B, centromere protein B.