Baseline characteristics of the 81 randomised patients according to treatment assignment
| Characteristic | Etanercept (N=41) | Prednisone (N=40) |
|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD) | 69.0 (8.6) | 65.1 (9.7) |
| Women, n (%) | 13 (31.7%) | 17 (42.5%) |
| White race (%) | 97.6 | 100 |
| BMI (kg/m2), mean (SD) | 26.6 (7.0) | 26.6 (7.3) |
| Current smoker (%) | 19.5 | 27.5 |
| Pack-year history, mean (SD) | 50.0 (29.0) | 45.7 (27.6) |
| Years of chronic dyspnea, mean (SD) | 11.2 (7.9) | 13.0 (11.5) |
| Presenting symptoms (%) | ||
| Increased dyspnoea | 95.0 | 90.0 |
| Increased cough | 82.9 | 87.5 |
| Increased sputum volume | 82.9 | 75.0 |
| Increased sputum purulence | 70.7 | 75.0 |
| Admitted to hospital for initial treatment of AECOPD, n (%) | 1 (2.4%) | 6 (15%) |
| Lung function at randomisation | ||
| FEV1 (l), mean (SD) | 0.97 (0.50) | 0.90 (0.44) |
| FEV1 (% predicted), mean (SD) | 35.7 (15.8) | 33.1 (11.6) |
| FVC (l), mean (SD) | 2.42 (1.02) | 2.23 (0.97) |
| FVC (% predicted), mean (SD) | 68.7 (21.6) | 64.6 (20.1) |
| Baseline Dyspnoea Index score | 4.85 (2.47) | 4.75 (1.88) |
| Comorbid illnesses (%) | ||
| Diabetes | 12.2 | 15.0 |
| Coronary artery disease | 12.2 | 27.5 |
| Congestive heart failure | 2.4 | 2.5 |
| Cancer | 7.7 | 5.0 |
| Concomitant medications (%) | ||
| Home oxygen | 14.6 | 15.4 |
| Long-acting anticholinergics | 90.2 | 87.2 |
| Inhaled steroid/long-acting β-agonist combination medication | 92.7 | 97.4 |
| Long-acting β-agonist | 7.3 | 0 |
| Inhaled steroid | 7.3 | 0 |
| Theophylline | 17.0 | 10.3 |
BMI, body mass index; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity.