Characteristics of subjects for the optical immunohistochemical study
| Subjects | n | Age (years) | M/F | Smoking history (pack-years) | Ex/current-smokers | FEV1 pre (% pred) | FEV1 post (% pred) | FEV1/FVC%‡ |
| Healthy non-smokers | 11 | 62 (4) | 12/1 | 0 | 0 | 115 (4) | ND | 85 (3) |
| Healthy smokers | 13 | 60 (2) | 9/3 | 46 (12) | 2/11 | 107 (4) | ND | 82 (2) |
| Mild/moderate COPD | 12 | 64 (2) | 11/2 | 35 (6) | 4/8 | 66 (4)* | 72 (4) | 60 (2)* |
| Severe/very severe COPD | 13 | 65 (3) | 4/7 | 49 (11) | 9/4 | 30 (2)*† | 33 (3) | 42 (3)*† |
Data are presented as mean (SEM).
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; F, female; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; M, male; ND, not determined.
*p<0.001 (ANOVA) significantly different from control smokers with normal lung function (healthy smokers) and control never-smokers.
†p<0.001 (ANOVA) significantly different from mild/moderate COPD.
‡For patients with COPD, FEV1/FVC% are post-bronchodilator values.
The GOLD classification of severity for COPD has been followed where patients are classified as mild (GOLD stage I), moderate (stage II), severe (stage III) and very severe (stage IV).