Mean (SD) characteristics of the oral steroid responders and oral steroid non-responders
| Characteristics | Oral steroid responder | Oral steroid non-responder |
|---|---|---|
| No. of patients | 17 | 79 |
| Age (years) | 69 (7) | 66 (8) |
| Pre-BD FEV1 (l) | 0.98 (0.35) | 0.93 (0.32) |
| Post-BD FEV1 (% improvement) | ||
| Baseline | 29 (28) | 15 (13) |
| After 2 weeks placebo | 15 (19) | 14 (15) |
| Daily PEFR variation (%) | 11 (8) | 12 (7) |
| Eosinophil count (×109/l) | 0.4 (0.4) | 0.4 (2.2) |
| ⩾1 allergy positive skin test (%) | 6 | 6 |