Studies in adults:
| | | | | |
Fahy et al (1995)32 | Acute severe asthma | Sputum | 2% eosinophils¶ | 18 | 50% |
Turner et al (1995)24 | Mild asthma with exacerbation in past 2 weeks | Sputum† | 4% eosinophils¶ | 34 | 47% |
Pizzichini et al (1996)27 | Stable asthma | Sputum | 2% eosinophils¶ | 19 | 58% |
Wenzel et al (1999)18 | Severe asthma, corticosteroid (CS) dependent | Bronchial biopsy | Mean eosinophil count +2SD (exact value not given) | 34 | 59% |
Pavord et al (1999)22 | Asthma patients treated with β2 agonists | Sputum | 3% eosinophils¶ | 23 | 61% |
Pavord et al (1999)33 | Asthma of variable severity | Sputum† | 3% eosinophils | 26 | 88% |
Jatakanon et al (1999)23 | Persistent asthma of variable severity: | Sputum | 2% eosinophils | 55 | 60% |
| • Mild persistent | | | 23 | 78% |
| • Moderate persistent | | | 16 | 38% |
| • Severe persistent | | | 16 | 56% |
Lemiére et al (1999)34 | Asthma of variable severity | Sputum | 2% eosinophils | 6 | 33% |
Berlyne et al (1999)30 | Asthma of variable severity | Sputum† | 2% eosinophils | 84 | 52% |
| | | Mean eosinophil count + 2SD (87 × 103/g) | 84 | 82% |
Tarodo de la Fuente et al (1999)35 | Asthma of variable severity | Sputum | 2% eosinophils | 38 | 34% |
| • Mild untreated | | | 9 | 22% |
| • Moderate treated with ICS | | | 12 | 25% |
| • Severe CS dependent | | | 17 | 47% |
Ordoñez et al (2000)36 | Acute severe asthma | Tracheal aspirates during intubation | 2% eosinophils¶ | 10 | 70% |
Wark et al (2000)37 | Asthma of variable severity: | Sputum | 2.75% eosinophils | 32 | 44% |
| • Not treated with ICS | | | 15 | 67% |
| • Treated with ICS | | | 17 | 24% |
Giannini et al (2000)38 | Stable asthma treated with CS, currently asymptomatic | Sputum | 3.0% eosinophils | 30 | 33% |
Gibson et al (2001)21 | Persistent asthma, BHR, CS dependent: | Sputum | 2.5% eosinophils | 56 | 41% |
| • Mild persistent | | | 11 | 27% |
| • Moderate persistent | | | 26 | 46% |
| • Severe persistent | | | 19 | 42% |
Ottanelli et al (2001)39 | Stable persistent asthma treated with ICS with FEV1/FVC <70% | Sputum | 2.0% eosinophils | 26†† | 62% |
Fahy et al (2001)40 | Moderate to severe asthma | Sputum | 2.0% eosinophils | 56‡‡ | 59% |
| | | | | |
Studies in children:
| | | | | |
Gibson et al (1998)20 | Open population incl non-symptomatic subjects: | Sputum | 2.5% eosinophils¶ | (162) | (27%) |
| • Symptoms in past 2 weeks‡ | | | 56 | 41% |
| • BHR§ | | | 23 | 62% |
Gibson et al (1999)41 | Acute severe asthma | Sputum | 2.5% eosinophils | 37 | 88% |
Marguet et al (1999)19 | • Asthma with recurrent symptoms | BAL | 2% eosinophils¶ | 14 | 57% |
| • Infantile wheezers (age 5–46 months) | | | 26 | 19% |
Wilson et al (2000)31 | Asthma of variable severity: | Sputum | 2% eosinophils¶ | 36 | 19% |
| • Not treated with ICS | | | 21 | 29% |
| • Treated with ICS | | | 15 | 7% |
Gibson et al (2001)42 | Asthma defined as wheezing in last 12 months‡ | Sputum | 2.5% eosinophils | 22 | 45% |