Table 1.

Between-Group Comparisons of Characteristics in Girls and Boys at the Age of 6 Years

Characteristics	Girls, n = 197			Boys, n = 308
	Poor Control Group, n = 81	Good Control Group, n = 116	P value	Poor Control Group, n = 133	Good Control Group, n =175	P value
Height, cm	112.4 ± 5.4, n = 37	114.1 ± 5.4, n = 28	0.2	114.3 ± 5.9, n = 61	114.6 ± 4.9, n = 41	0.8
Weight, kg	19.1 ± 3.0, n = 36	20.1 ± 2.8, n = 28	0.2	19.4 ± 2.8, n = 60	20.8 ± 3.4, n = 40	0.0246*
Body mass index, kg/m2	15.1 ± 1.6, n = 36	15.6 ± 1.4, n = 27	0.3	14.9 ± 1.4, n = 60	15.8 ± 2.0, n = 40	0.0057*
Lung function tests
FVC, L	1.15 ± 0.24, n = 21	1.20 ± 0.33, n = 13	0.6	1.32 ± 0.31, n = 34	1.28 ± 0.24, n = 26	0.6
%FVC predicted, %	92.4 ± 19.2, n = 21	100.0 ± 23.8, n = 13	0.3	90.3 ± 15.7, n = 34	90.4 ± 14.1, n = 26	1.0
FEV1, L	0.90 ± 0.27, n = 21	0.93 ± 0.26, n = 13	0.6	0.94 ± 0.25, n = 35	1.09 ± 0.17, n = 26	0.1
%FEV1 predicted, %	78.0 ± 22.6, n = 21	84.1 ± 20.7, n = 13	0.4	74.0 ± 15.1, n = 35	84.3 ± 11.6, n = 26	0.0048*
FEV1/FVC ratio	0.77 ± 0.13, n = 21	0.78 ± 0.12, n = 13	0.7	0.77 ± 0.14, n = 34	0.87 ± 0.11, n = 26	0.0047*
No. of children with ventilatory patterns, n (%)
Restrictive	2 (9.5), n = 21	2 (15.4), n = 13	0.6	7 (20.6), n = 34	6 (23.1), n = 26	1.0
Obstructive	7 (33.3), n = 21	4 (30.8), n = 13	1.0	13 (38.2), n = 34	2 (7.7), n = 26	0.0076*
Mixed	4 (19.1), n = 21	1 (7.7), n = 13	0.6	1 (2.9), n = 34	0 (0), n = 26	1.0

Notes: Data were expressed as mean ± SD and number (%) of children. The poor control group had significantly lower mean scores (± SD, points) of the asthma control level in girls (2.95 ± 0.46, n = 39) (P < 0.0001) and boys (3.16 ± 0.37, n = 67) (P < 0.0001) compared with the good control group (4.0, n = 30 and 4.0, n = 46, respectively) at the age of 6 years. n = number of children tested. *P < 0.05 for between-group comparisons.

Abbreviations: FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FVC, forced vital capacity; SD, standard deviation.