Subjects’ characteristics
| Patients | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | Young control | Old control | Control smokers | COPD | Old asthma | Young asthma |
| Subjects, N° | ||||||
| Total | 10 | 11 | 18 | 33 | 24 | 15 |
| Male | 7 | 4 | 15 | 27 | 10 | 5 |
| Female | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 10 |
| Age, years | 30±7 | 69±7 | 61±7 | 66±8 | 62±8 | 26±5 |
| Smoking history | ||||||
| No | 10 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 15 |
| Ex | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Current | 0 | 0 | 16 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Atopy | ||||||
| Yes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 14 |
| No | 10 | 11 | 18 | 33 | 8 | 1 |
| FEV1 pre,% predicted | 104±16 | 118±12 | 104±13 | 49±19* | 74±21** | 96±17*** |
| FEV1 post,% predicted | ND | ND | ND | 55±20 | 83±22 | 105±12 |
| FEV1/FVC ratio,% | 82±8 | 85±10 | 80±6 | 51±12* | 74±14**** | 83±8**** |
Values given as mean±SD.
*p<0.0001 (analysis of variance) significantly different from young/old controls, control smokers and old/young patients with asthma.
**p<0.0001 (analysis of variance) significantly different from young/old controls, control smokers, patients with COPD and young patients with asthma.
***p<0.0001 (analysis of variance) significantly different from young/old controls, control smokers, patients with COPD and old patients with asthma.
****p<0.0001 (analysis of variance) significantly different from patients with COPD.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; ND, not determined