Table 2.
Functional and inflammatory characteristics of patients according to the age group
| < 40 years | 40–70 | ≥ 70 | Global p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | 186 | 468 | 104 | |
| FeNO, ppb | 35(15–70) | 27 (14–52) | 22 (16–49) | > 0.05 |
| Sputum eosinophils, % | 1.4 (0.2–9.5) | 2.5 (0.2–14.4) | 2.7 (0.2–11.4) | > 0.05 |
| Sputum eosinophils, AV | 11.7 (0.32–96) | 34.6 (4–175)* | 25.3 (0.79–239) | 0.0083 |
| Sputum neutrophils, % | 37 (15.7–65.4) | 48.4 (25–68)*** | 57 (29–81)###^^^ | < 0.000001 |
| Sputum neutrophils, AV | 538 (213–1554) | 721 (283–2292) | 1160 (323–3527)##^^ | 0.000004 |
| Sputum macrophages, % | 34 (14–53) | 21 (11–36)*** | 15 (7–25)###^^^ | < 0.000001 |
| Sputum lymphocytes, % | 1 (0.2–2) | 1 (0..2–2) | 1 (0.2–1.8) | > 0.05 |
| Sputum weight | 2 (1.35–3.4) | 2.32 (1.35–3.9) | 2.32 (1.24–3,6) | > 0.05 |
| Blood eosinophils, % | 3.2 (1.7–5.8) | 2.7 (1.5–4.6) | 2.9 (1.9–4.8) | > 0.05 |
| Blood eosinophils, /mm3 | 240 (145–465) | 220 (120–390) | 270 (143–385) | > 0.05 |
| Blood neutrophils, % | 55 (49–63) | 57 (49–63) | 60 (53–64) | > 0.05 |
| Blood neutrophils, /mm3 | 4180 (3315–5157) | 4217 (3570–5550) | 4220 (3520–5440) | > 0.05 |
| FEV1, % | 96 (86–100) | 90 (76–104)* | 84 (69–97)###^ | 0.000004 |
| Reversibility, % | 7.7 (3–15) | 8 (2.7–15) | 11 (3.4–18) | > 0.05 |
| FVC,% | 97 ( 89–108) | 97 (82–111) | 90 (78–101) | > 0.05 |
| FEV1/FVC, post,% | 82 (77–86) | 77 (70–83)** | 76 (69–82)## | < 0.000001 |
| TLC, % | 96 (89–104) | 100 (91–112) | 102 (96–114) | > 0.05 |
| FRC, % | 101 | 104 | 106 | > 0.05 |
| RV/TLC, % | 29 (24–35) | 44 (36–51)*** | 53 (45–60)####^^^^ | < 0.000001 |
| DLCO, % | 78 | 76 | 69#^ | 0.0003 |
| KCO, % | 93 | 90 | 95 | > 0.05 |
| sGaw, kPa/sec | 0.84 (0.65–1.1) | 0.8 (0.6–1.1) | 0.7 (0.5–1)##^^ | 0.019 |
| PC20M mg/ml | 2 (0.5–7.2) | 3,7 (1.17–15)* | 8,8 (1.7–16)# | 0.021 |
| IgE, kU/l | 330 (107–624) | 112 (46–324)**** | 83 (29–380)####^^^^ | 0.001 |
| RAST HDM | 2.3 (0.3–25.4) | 0.3 (0.1–1)*** | 0.3 (0.1–0.3)#### | < 0.000001 |
| RAST birch | 0.3 (0–4.4) | 0.3 (0.1–0.3)* | 0.3 (0.1–0.3)### | 0.00004 |
| RAST cat | 0.7 (0.1–14) | 0.3 (0–0.5)* | 0.3 (0–0.3)### | < 0.000001 |
| RAST dog | 0.3 (0.1–2.7) | 0.3 (0–0.3)* | 0.3 (0–0.3)### | < 0.000001 |
| RAST grass pollen | 2.8 (0.3–25) | 0.3 (0.1–0.5)*** | 0.3 (0.1–0.3)### | < 0.000001 |
| RAST moulds | 0.29 (0.1–0.3) | 0.1 (0–0.3) | 0.3 (0–0.3) | 0.00012 |
| CRP, mg/l | 1.5 (0.6–3.5) | 1.75 (0.8–4) | 2.3 (1.1–4.5) | > 0.05 |
| Fibrinogen, g/l | 2,9 (2.5–3.2) | 3,1 (2.8–3.8)** | 3,5 (3.2–4.3)##^^ | < 0.000001 |
FeNO fraction of exhaled nitric oxide, AV absolute value, FEV1 forced expiratory volume in one second, FVC forced vital capacity, TLC: total lung capacity, FRC functional residual capacity, RV residual volume, DLCO diffusion of CO, KCO transfer coefficient, sGaw airway compliance, PC20 concentration of methacholine provoking a 20% fall in FEV1, IgE immunoglobulin E, RAST specific IgE, HDM house dust mites, CRP C reactive protein
Comparison between < 40 and 40–70 (*), comparison between < 40 and ≥ 70 (#), comparison between 40 and 70 and ≥ 70 (^). P < 0.05 (1 sign); p < 0.01 (2 signs), p < 0.001 (3 signs)