Table 2 Age, sex, smoking and pulmonary function data in patients with COPD and controls (study population 2)
VariablesCOPDControls
(n = 20)(n = 18)
Age (years)51.4 (12.8)†45.6 (9.5)
Sex (M/F)18/28/10
Smoking (pack-years)18.3 (11.9)‡15.6 (10.2)
FEV1 (% pred)73.4 (7.8)§94.8 (10.1)
FEV1/FVC63.1 (6.4)¶83.5 (4.6)
Albumin in BAL fluid (mg/ml)0.13 (0.03)**0.11 (0.06)
Serum VEGF (pg/ml)298.7 (37.6)††321.9 (30.3)
Serum PlGF (pg/ml)22.4 (9.7)*13.2 (7.8)

  • All values are shown as mean (SE).

  • FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; BAL, bronchoalveolar lavage; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; PlGF, placenta growth factor.

  • *p<0.05; †p = 0.41; ‡p = 0.38; §p = 0.007; ¶p =  0.006; **p = 0.57; ††p = 0.47.