Table 1.
Baseline characteristics by treatment group
| Chlorhexidine | Placebo | All participants | |
| Mean±SD or N (%) | Mean±SD or N (%) | Mean±SD or N (%) | |
| Number of randomised participants | 24 | 20 | 44 |
| Gender (% female) | 2 (8.3) | 1 (5.0) | 3 (6.8) |
| Age (years) | 67.6±7.2 | 68.3±6.0 | 67.9±6.6 |
| Race non-white | 1 (4.2) | 1 (5.0) | 2 (4.5) |
| Season* | |||
| Spring | 3 (15.0) | 6 (30.0) | 9 (22.5) |
| Summer | 7 (35.0) | 4 (20.0) | 11 (27.5) |
| Fall | 7 (35.0) | 6 (30.0) | 13 (32.5) |
| Winter | 3 (15.0) | 4 (20.0) | 7 (17.5) |
| Years smoked | 40.8±10.4 | 43.6±10.3 | 42.0±10.4 |
| Current smoker | 6 (25.0) | 7 (35.0) | 13 (29.5) |
| Pack years | 58.7±32.9 | 57.6±39.8 | 58.2±35.8 |
| SGRQ | 49.2±17.2 | 41.8±12.3 | 45.8±15.5 |
| FEV1 % predicted | 39.9±12.6 | 43.8±11.1 | 41.7±12.0 |
| FVC % predicted | 66.2±14.8 | 71.4±12.9 | 68.5±14.1 |
| COPD exacerbations (past 12 months) | 2.3±1.5 | 1.8±1.0 | 2.1±1.3 |
| COPD hospitalisations (past 12 months) | 0.5±0.7 | 0.7±0.7 | 0.6±0.7 |
*Assigned to the season that covered >50% of the study period for a given participant.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; SGRQ, St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire.