Mean (SD) baseline characteristics and exacerbation and drop out rates of patients using inhaled corticosteroids (irrespective of the dose) or placebo
| Inhaled corticosteroids (n = 95) | Placebo (n = 88) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 61 (7) | 61 (7) |
| Height (cm) | 170 (7) | 168 (7) |
| Male (n) | 89 | 79 |
| FEV1(l) | 1.42 (0.47) | 1.30 (0.38) |
| FEV (% pred) | 46 (11) | 44 (10) |
| FEV1/IVC (%) | 49 (13) | 47 (11) |
| Airway reversibility (% of FEV1 pred) | 3.2 (2.7) | 2.9 (2.5) |
| Pack years | 40 (25) | 43 (24) |
| Smoker (current/ex) | 32/63 | 34/54 |
| Cigarettes/day (n) | 17 (12) | 17 (11) |
| Log10(IgE+1) (IU/ml) | 1.71 (0.59) | 1.67 (0.50) |
| Regular use of (% of patients): | ||
| Anticholinergics | 25 | 32 |
| Short acting β2 agonists | 60 | 62 |
| Theophylline | 56 | 53 |
| Mucolytics | 33 | 40 |
| Almitrine | 10 | 13 |
| During the study: | ||
| Exacerbations/year | 0.9 (0.9) | 1.0 (1.3) |
| Drop outs (n) | 35 | 29 |
| Reason for drop out (n): | ||
| Worsening of the disease | 4 | 9 |
| Adverse effects | 17 | 12 |
| Other reasons | 14 | 8 |