Table 4.
Compared the Frequency of Acute Exacerbation Between Different Groups After One-Year Follow-Up
| Variables | Low IL-6 Group (n=36) | High IL-6 Group (n=29) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic | |||
| Age (years-old; mean, SD) | 67.97 ± 1.47 | 68.27 ± 1.58 | 0.864 |
| Male (N, %) | 25, 69.44 | 19, 65.52 | 0.736 |
| BMI (kg/m2; mean, SD or median, IQR) | 20.40 ± 0.33 | 21.71, 5.32 | 0.078 |
| Smoker (N, %) | 31, 86.11 | 22, 75.86 | 0.290 |
| Clinical | |||
| Frequency of acute exacerbation in 1 year (median, IQR) | 1.00, 1.00 | 2.00, 1.00 | 0.000 |
| Exacerbation frequency ≥ 2 (N, %) | 14, 38.89 | 23, 79.31 | 0.001 |
| CAT Score (mean, SD) | 19.77 ± 0.54 | 20.14 ± 0.66 | 0.735 |
| mMRC Score (median, IQR) | 2.00, 1.00 | 3.00, 1.00 | 0.268 |
| Lung Function | |||
| FEV1%pred (mean, SD) | 42.46 ± 1.81 | 40.04 ± 1.90 | 0.391 |
| FEV1/FVC% (mean, SD) | 49.00 ± 1.31 | 48.75 ± 1.30 | 0.838 |
| Hematological Indicators | |||
| IL-6 (pg/mL; median, IQR) | 6.73, 0.62 | 32.07, 26.67 | 0.000 |
Abbreviations: IQR, interquartile range (25th–75th percentile); N, number; SD, standard deviation; BMI, body mass index; CAT, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test; mMRC, modified British medical research council; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FEV1%pred, FEV1 as a percentage of the predicted value; FVC, forced vital capacity; IL-6, interleukin-6.