TABLE 1.
Clinical Characteristics of the Bronchoscopy and Validation cohorts
| Characteristic | Bronchoscopy Cohort | Validation Cohort | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eosinophillow | Eosinophilhigh | P value | Eosinophillow | Eosinophilhigh | P value | |
| Number | 17 | 20 | N/A | 18 | 15 | N/A |
| Age (y) | 62 ± 6 | 62 ± 4 | .7 | 64 ± 8 | 67 ± 9 | .3 |
| Gender: Male (%) | 65 | 70 | .7 | 44 | 73 | .1 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 27 ± 5 | 25 ± 4 | .2 | 25 ± 5 | 28 ± 4 | .06 |
| Current smokers (%) | 42 | 60 | .2 | 61 | 20 | .01 |
| Pack‐years history | 43 ± 15 | 38 ± 14 | .3 | 48 ± 19 | 45 ± 25 | .7 |
| ICS use (%) | 82 | 55 | .08 | 39 | 93 | .02 |
| ICS dose | 0 (0‐2000) | 800 (0‐2000) | .009 | 1000 (0‐2000) | 600 (0‐2000) | .35 |
| Post‐bronchodilator FEV1 (L) | 1.9 ± 0.4 | 1.9 ± 0.4 | .9 | 1.7 ± 0.6 | 1.8 ± 0.5 | .6 |
| Postbronchodilator FEV1 (% predicted) | 64 ± 12 | 66 ± 11 | .6 | 67 ± 17 | 66 ± 16 | .8 |
| Postbronchodilator FVC (L) | 3.8 ± 1.3 | 3.6 ± 0.9 | .5 | 3.2 ± 1 | 3.3 ± 0.7 | .7 |
| Postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio | 50 ± 10 | 53 ± 7 | .3 | 53 ± 12 | 55 ± 11 | .7 |
| Reversibility (mL) | 207 ± 189 | 217 ± 154 | .9 | 166 ± 142 | 145 ± 147 | .7 |
| FeNO50 (ppm) | 16 ± 8.4 | 23 ± 15 | .2 | 9.2 ± 5.2 | 14.9 ± 8.1 | .02 |
| Atopy (% positive) | 0 | 0 | N/A | 6 | 13 | .4 |
| Total SGRQ | 42 ± 17 | 37 ± 21 | .4 | 56 ± 16 | 55 ± 16 | .9 |
| mMRC | 1.8 ± 1.0 | 1.3 ± 1.2 | .2 | 3.6 ± 0.7 | 3.7 ± 0.6 | .6 |
| CAT | 19 ± 9 | 17 ± 8 | .4 | 22 ± 7 | 22 ± 6 | 1 |
| Exacerbation rate, 12 mo prior | 0.8 (0‐3) | 0.7 (0‐3) | .6 | 0.8 (0‐4) | 1.6 (0‐4) | .04 |
| Blood Eosinophils | 10 ± 3 | 432 ± 144 | <.0001 | 9 ± 3 | 350 ± 240 | <.0001 |
| Sputum Cell Counts | ||||||
| Total (×106/g) | 5.6 (0.1‐26.3) | 5.9 (0.5‐32.4) | .9 | 1.9 (0.2‐11.4) | 2.4 (0.8‐12.6) | .2 |
| Neutrophil (×106/g) | 3.2 (0.1‐20.8) | 3.6 (0.2‐29.6) | .9 | 3.9 (0.5‐24.4) | 5.4 (0.4‐16.6) | .8 |
| Macrophage (×106/g) | 1.3 (0.01‐4.6) | 1.2 (0.2‐7.7) | .6 | 1.4 (0.3‐3.5) | 1.3 (0.4‐4.5) | .5 |
| Eosinophil (×106/g) | 0.02 (0.0‐0.2) | 0.3 (0.01‐4.2) | <.001 | 0.04 (0.00 ‐ 0.4) | 0.3 (0.1‐1.3) | <.001 |
| Lymphocyte (×106/g) | 0.02 (0.0‐0.1) | 0.02 (0.0‐0.2) | .4 | 0.04 (0.0‐0.6) | 0.01 (0.0‐0.2) | .4 |
| Epithelial (×106/g) | 0.04 (0.0‐0.7) | 0.03 (0.0‐1.0) | .7 | 0.1 (0.02‐0.6) | 0.2 (0.04‐1.6) | .07 |
| Eosinophils (%) | 0.5 (0‐2.5) | 4.5 (0.3‐70) | <.0001 | 0.5 (0‐2) | 6.5 (2.8‐16.5) | <.0001 |
| Neutrophils (%) | 81 (17‐91) | 63 (15‐91) | .06 | 67 ± 20 | 65 ± 18 | .8 |
| Macrophages (%) | 17 (5‐82) | 23 (4‐63) | .6 | 30 ± 19 | 23 ± 15 | .3 |
| Lymphocytes (%) | 0.5 (0‐2.3) | 0.3 (0‐2.5) | .3 | 0.3 (0‐2.8) | 0.3 (0‐3.5) | .8 |
| Epithelial (%) | 1 (0‐8) | 1 (0‐8) | .85 | 2 (0.3‐10) | 3 (0.3‐17) | .08 |
Data presented as %, mean ± standard deviation, or median (range).
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; ICS, inhaled corticosteroids; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; FeNO50, fractional exhaled nitric oxide at 50 mL−1 s flow rate; PPM, parts per million; SGRQ, St George's Respiratory Questionnaire; mMRC, modified Medical Research Council; CAT, COPD Assessment Test.