Table 1.
Characteristics of the study participants and differences between working and non-working subjects. Data are presented as frequency (percentages) for categorical data and as M ± SD for continuous data. p-values referring to working vs. non-working subjects are computed with chi-square or Fisher test as appropriate for categorical data or with Student’s t test or Mann–Whitney U test as appropriate for continuous data. Significant values are marked in bold.
| Study Population (N = 196) |
Non-Workers N(%) N = 98 |
Workers N(%) N = 98 |
p-Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (Mean ± SD) | 33.4 ± 10.6 | 30 ± 10 | 37 ± 10 | <0.001 |
| Sex N (%) | <0.001 | |||
| Female | 92 (47%) | 58 (59%) | 34 (35%) | |
| Male | 104 (53%) | 40 (41%) | 64 (65%) | |
| BMI (Mean ± SD) | 24.2 ± 4.2 | 24.1 ± 4.5 | 24.3 ± 3.9 | 0.736 |
| Age at CF diagnosis (Mean ± SD) | 12.7 ± 16.2 | 9 ± 13 | 17 ± 18 | <0.001 |
| Sport N (%) | 0.070 | |||
| Yes | 121 (62%) | 67 (68%) | 54 (55%) | |
| No | 43 (22%) | 15 (15%) | 28 (29%) | |
| In the past | 32 (16%) | 16 (16%) | 16 (16%) | |
| Smoker N (%) | <0.001 | |||
| Yes | 20 (10%) | 3 (3.1%) | 17 (17%) | |
| No | 160 (82%) | 90 (92%) | 70 (71%) | |
| In the past | 16 (8%) | 5 (5.1%) | 11 (11%) | |
| Educational level N (%) | 0.039 | |||
| Primary/Secondary school | 38 (19%) | 21 (21%) | 17 (17%) | |
| High school diploma/Enrolled in university | 113 (58%) | 62 (63%) | 51 (52%) | |
| Degree/Post-graduate degree | 45 (23%) | 15 (15%) | 30 (31%) | |
| Marital status N(%) | 0.005 | |||
| Single | 113 (58%) | 67 (69%) | 46 (47%) | |
| In a relationship | 77 (39%) | 29 (29%) | 48 (49%) | |
| Separated/Divorced | 6 (3%) | 2 (2%) | 4 (4%) | |
| Children N (%) | 0.215 | |||
| Yes | 40 (20%) | 16 (16%) | 24 (24%) | |
| No | 156 (80%) | 82 (84%) | 74 (76%) | |
| Lung transplant recipient N (%) | - | |||
| Yes | - | - | - | |
| No | 196 (100%) | 98 (100%) | 98 (100%) | |
| Spirometric parameters (Mean ±DS) | ||||
| FEV1 L | 2.6 ± 1.2 | 2.45 ± 1.05 | 2.78 ± 1.27 | 0.051 |
| FEV1 % | 76 ± 30 | 74 ± 29 | 78 ± 30 | 0.283 |
| FVC L | 3.5 ± 1.3 | 3.26 ± 1.13 | 3.75 ± 1.33 | 0.006 |
| FVC % | 86 ± 23 | 84 ± 22 | 89 ± 24 | 0.124 |
| FEV1/FVC | 72 ± 13 | 73 ± 13 | 72 ± 13 | 0.323 |
| Hospital admission in the last year N (%) | 0.805 | |||
| Yes | 18 (9%) | 10 (10%) | 8 (8.2%) | |
| No | 178 (91%) | 88 (90%) | 90 (92%) | |
| Oxygen therapy in the last year N (%) | 0.282 | |||
| Yes | 15 (8%) | 10 (10%) | 5 (5.1%) | |
| No | 181 (92%) | 88 (90%) | 93 (95%) | |
| IV antibiotic courses in the last year N (%) | 0.552 | |||
| Yes | 30 (15%) | 17 (17%) | 13 (13%) | |
| No | 166 (85%) | 81 (83%) | 85 (87%) | |
| Cough in the previous 15 days N (%) | 0.064 | |||
| Yes | 45 (23%) | 24 (24%) | 21 (21%) | |
| No | 151 (77%) | 74 (76%) | 77 (79%) | |
| Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire—Revised (CFQ-R) subdomains | ||||
| Physical functioning | 65 ± 25 | 62 ± 25 | 69 ± 26 | 0.036 |
| Vitality | 65 ± 20 | 64 ± 21 | 66 ± 18 | 0.430 |
| Emotional functioning | 75 ± 19 | 72 ± 20 | 77 ± 18 | 0.068 |
| Eating problems | 92 ± 17 | 90 ± 20 | 94 ± 14 | 0.092 |
| Treatment Burden | 58 ± 21 | 54 ± 17 | 62 ± 23 | 0.009 |
| Health Perceptions | 68 ± 19 | 67 ± 20 | 69 ± 19 | 0.622 |
| Social functioning | 69 ± 15 | 70 ± 16 | 69 ± 15 | 0.505 |
| Body image | 79 ± 20 | 75 ± 20 | 83 ± 19 | 0.009 |
| Role functioning | 80 ± 21 | 76 ± 23 | 83 ± 18 | 0.018 |
| Weight | 82 ± 29 | 82 ± 29 | 83 ± 28 | 0.803 |
| Respiratory symptoms | 78 ± 18 | 76 ± 19 | 80 ± 17 | 0.144 |
| Digestive symptoms | 75 ± 20 | 74 ± 20 | 76 ± 21 | 0.505 |
| Work ability index score | 39 ± 5.1 | - | 39 ± 5.1 | - |
BMI, body mass index; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in the first second; FVC, forced vital capacity.