Table 4.
Cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in sputum
| Control vs. E-cigarette |
Control vs. Reduced Use |
E-cigarette vs. Reduced Use |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean/Mean (P Value) | Mean/Mean (P Value) | Mean → Mean (P Value) | |
| Cytokines | |||
| GM-CSF | 7/4 (0.03) | 7/5 (0.25) | 5 → 4.91 (0.73) |
| G-CSF | 101/176 (0.24) | 101/47 (0.01) | 147 → 43 (0.07) |
| IFNγ | 11/6 (0.03) | 11/9 (0.35) | 7 → 8 (0.62) |
| IL-1A | 176/156 (0.65) | 176/97 (0.05) | 184 → 97 (0.03) |
| IL-1RA | 6,297/7,121 (0.52) | 6,297/4,715 (0.13) | 7,998 → 4,812 (0.02) |
| IL-2 | 6/4 (0.04) | 6/4 (0.23) | 4 → 4 (0.57) |
| IL-4 | 88/42 (0.02) | 88/47 (0.05) | 44 → 44 (0.94) |
| IL-6 | 17/21 (0.56) | 17/11 (0.05) | 16 → 11 (0.16) |
| IL-13 | 12/6 (0.02) | 12/8 (0.18) | 7 → 8 (0.68) |
| sCD40L | 26/15 (0.03) | 26/21 (0.43) | 16 → 20 (0.47) |
| Chemokines | |||
| GRO | 1,977/1,363 (0.37) | 1,977/539 (0.02) | 1,217 → 555 (0.05) |
| MCP-3 | 43/26 (0.02) | 43/32 (0.18) | 27 → 31 (0.35) |
| Growth factors | |||
| EGF | 298/203 (0.21) | 298/132 (0.01) | 179 → 137 (0.27) |
| PDGF-AA | 30/14 (0.26) | 30/4 (0.03) | 17 → 4 (0.31) |
| VEGF | 97/77 (0.67) | 97/38 (0.05) | 74 → 38 (0.28) |
Columns represent comparison between the controls (n = 10) and e-cigarette users (n = 18), control and reduced use samples (n = 13), and e-cigarette users with and without reduced use, respectively. Not all e-cigarette users returned for a follow-up visit; therefore, the comparison of levels between e-cigarette users and their reduced use follow-up may have differing means. First two columns included comparison using an unpaired t test between the controls vs. the e-cigarette users; however, the third column was compared using a paired t test between samples from the same subject at a 2-wk follow-up. Bold P value indicates a significant difference by t test (without controlling for multiple comparisons) between the groups mentioned in the heading column. IL-1RA, IL-1 receptor antagonist; MCP, monocyte chemoattractant protein.