Table 2
Sputum characteristics in patients with chronic cough and normal controls
| GER | PND | Idiopathic | Non-asthmatic | Control | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 4 | 5 | 10 | 19 | 10 |
| Volume (ml) | 2.3 (0.8) | 2.5 (0.4) | 1.8 (1.5) | 2.4 (1.4) | 2.8 (0.5) |
| TCC (×106/ml) | 1.57 (0.85) | 0.43 (0.31) | 0.64 (0.75) | 0.60 (0.89) | 0.81 (0.59) |
| SQC (×106/ml) | 0.27 (0.22) | 0.20 (0.04) | 0.10 (0.17) | 0.20 (0.19) | 0.29 (0.11) |
| Macrophages (%) | 44.6 (22.5) | 31.6 (21.9) | 38.5 (29.9) | 38.8 (26.3) | 70.9 (21.6) |
| Neutrophils (%) | 54.0 (19.5) | 67.7 (22.3) | 61.1 (31.7)2-151 | 59.4 (27.1)2-151 | 28.4 (22.0) |
| Eosinophils (%) | 0.1 (1.1) | 0.5 (0.4) | 0.4 (0.4) | 0.4 (0.6) | 0.0 (0.0) |
| Lymphocytes (%) | 0.3 (1.0) | 0.0 (0.8) | 0.7 (0.4) | 0.7 (1.0) | 0.0 (0.2) |
| TNF-α (pg/ml) | 58.6 (36.5) | 36.4 (42.9) | 43.8 (24.4)2-150 | 48.3 (34.4)2-151 | 12.6 (33.6) |
| IL-8 (ng/ml) | 1.02 (2.65)2-154 | 0.27 (0.18) | 1.00 (1.1)2-150 | 0.57 (1.08)2-150 | 0.25 (0.72) |
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Data are presented as median (interquartile range).
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GER = gastro-oesophageal reflux; PND = post-nasal drip; TCC = total cell count; SQC = squamous epithelial cell count; TNF-α = tumour necrosis factor-α; IL-8 = interleukin 8.
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↵2-150 p<0.05 compared with normal.
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↵2-151 p<0.01 compared with normal.
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↵2-154 n = 3.
