Table 1 Patient and subject demographics.

n

34

61

47

Sex (M/F)

22/12

34/27

36/11

0.199

Age (years)

44 (25–70)

39 (25–56)

60 (42–76)^a,b

0.000

BMI

22.13 ± 4.35

22.08 ± 2.80

20.96 ± 3.44

0.184^c

Never/current/ex-smokers

29/5/0

42/7/12

18/11/18

Smoking history (pack-years)

20 (12.5–35)

15 (2.5–50)

45 (20–100)^a,b

0.012

Family asthma history (Y/N)

4/30

16/45^a

0.000

Allergic rhinitis (Y/N)

3/31

19/42^a

0.000

Inhaled corticosteroid (Y/N)

0/34

0/61

26/21

Short-acting β agonist (Y/N)

0/34

0/61

22/25

Aminophylline (Y/N)

0/34

0/61

15/32

Long-acting β2 agonist (Y/N)

0/34

0/61

20/27

Sputum cell counts

TCC (10⁶/mL)

3.55 (1.62–6.60)

4.20 (1.74–11.36)

7.50 (3.06–13.20)^a,b

0.000

Macrophages (%)

52.5 (31.0–80.0)

41 (8.0–90.50)

30 (2.0–56.0)^ab

0.000

Neutrophils (%)

43.75 (20.0–65.0)

37.5 (1.5–70.0)

67.5 (43.0–88.5)^a,b

0.000

Lymphocytes (%)

2.0 (0.0–12.0)

3.0 (0.0–24.5)

2.0 (0.0–14.0)

0.080

Eosinophils (%)

1.0 (0.0–8.0)

9.0 (0.0–83.0)^a

1.0 (0.0–2.5)^b

0.000

FVC (L)

3.51 (1.72–5.82)

2.84 (1.36–4.57)^a

1.92 (1.18–5.01)^a,b

0.000

PEF (L/s)

7.97 (4.72–12.10)

5.45 (1.42–10.75)^a

1.92 (2.5–50)^a,b

0.000

FEV₁ (L)

3.07 (2.00–4.14)

2.20 (0.57–4.09)^a

0.78 (0.47–1.91)^a,b

0.000

FEV₁% predicted

102.70 (88.00–121.90)

75.10 (24.40–116.30)^a

34.00 (15.60–86.00)^a,b

0.000

Daily score

6 (1–12)

Nighttime score

1 (0–3)

MRC dyspnoea scale

3 (1–5)

Peripheral blood counts

TCC (10⁹/mL)

7.31 (5.58–8.21)

6.74 (4.41–16.38)

6.76 (2.93–17.09)

0.801

Lymphocytes (%)

35.60 (28.20–42.80)

27.40 (6.80–53.20)

17.20 (3.20–44.40)^a,b

0.000

Neutrophils (%)

56.30 (48.20–60.90)

60.40 (35.10–85.40)

73.50 (48.30–84.20)^a,b

0.000

Macrophages (%)

6.95 (4.70–7.20)

5.90 (1.25–17.20)

7.60 (0.40–17.70)

0.054

Eosinophils (%)

2.10 (1.40–2.90)

5.10 (0.00–9.40)^a

1.69 (0.00–10.10)^b

0.000