COPD | COPD/ICS | Control subjects | p Value* | p Value† | p Value‡ | |
Vascular area (%) | 6.2 (5–6) | 4.0 (3–6) | 4.0 (4–4.1) | 0.043 | 0.001 | 0.896 |
Vessel size (μm2) | 424 (389–490) | 323 (294–398) | 305 (284–327) | 0.023 | 0.003 | 0.408 |
Vessel number (n/mm2) | 140 (90–165) | 134 (109–146) | 120 (113–128) | 0.853 | 0.633 | 0.315 |
VEGF+ cells (n/mm2) | 142 (102–157) | 102 (79–120) | 80 (73–95) | 0.043 | 0.003 | 0.274 |
FGF+ cells (n/mm2) | 50.2 (43–64) | 36.4 (35–45) | 21.5 (19–23.8) | 0.035 | 0.001 | 0.001 |
TGF-β+ cells (n/mm2) | 76.5 (31.2–104) | 21 (9–31) | 10 (9–11.9) | 0.014 | 0.001 | 0.146 |
CD3 (n/mm2) | 17.5 (16.3–18) | 15.7 (14–16) | 15.5 (15–16.5) | 0.089 | 0.055 | 0.696 |
CD4 (n/mm2) | 3.6 (3–5) | 3.3 (3–4) | 2.7 (2–3.2) | 0.631 | 0.068 | 0.203 |
CD8 (n/mm2) | 12.2 (10.6–13) | 9.7 (8–11) | 9.4 (9–9.8) | 0.023 | 0.007 | 0.897 |
CD68 (n/mm2) | 80.6 (78–104) | 45.7 (40–57) | 44.7 (41–49) | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.633 |
Neutrophils (n/mm2) | 55.5 (44–78) | 48.5 (41–58) | 45 (43–52.5) | 0.481 | 0.237 | 0.828 |
Mast cells (n/mm2) | 35.7 (23.6–43) | 23.8 (16–31) | 22.3 (22–25.4) | 0.053 | 0.055 | 0.998 |
Eosinophils (n/mm2) | 47.2 (34.2–63) | 25.7 (13–46) | 37.1 (30–42.4) | 0.123 | 0.146 | 0.460 |
Data presented as median (interquartile range).
COPD, untreated patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; COPD/ICS, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treated with inhaled corticosteroids; FGF, fibroblast growth factor; TGF-β, transforming growth factor β; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.
*COPD vs COPD/ICS.
†COPD vs control subjects.
‡COPD/ICS vs control subjects.