Demographic, functional and inflammatory characteristics of patients with regard to their smoking status and the dose of inhaled corticosteroids
| Smokers | Non-smokers | ||||
| Steroid-naïve | Low ICS | Moderate ICS | High ICS | ||
| N | 58 | 70 | 41 | 67 | 59 |
| Sex (M/F) | 31/27 | 26/44 | 17/24 | 33/34 | 24/35 |
| Age, years | 45.7 (23–81) | 42.3 (14–80) | 47 (19–80) | 47 (16–83) | 50.5 (18–82) |
| Height, cm | 170.5±7.8 | 169±9.5 | 169.2±11 | 167±9.7 | 167.7±9.2 |
| Weight, kg | 73.3±14 | 73±16 | 74.3±18 | 72.6±14 | 72.9±17.9 |
| Atopy | 72% | 80% | 71% | 67% | 61% |
| IgE, kU/l | 185 (56–612) | 166 (39–358) | 210 (60–391) | 180 (48–606) | 132 (70–430) |
| Blood eosinophils, % | 3.60±3.5 | 3.87±3.4 | 3.94±3.2 | 3.96±3.5 | 3.26±3.26 |
| FEV1, % predicted | 81±19 | 90±16 | 93±18 | 87±20 | 78±19 |
| FEV1/VC, % | 72±10 | 78±9 | 78±10 | 75±11 | 72±12 |
| PC20, mg/ml | 4.23 (0.03–16) | 2.17 (0.05–16) | 6.6 (0.30–16) | 3.93 (0.2–16) | 2.3 (0.1–16) |
| Reversibility, % | 15±11 | 15.3±14.8 | 12.1±8.5 | 13.3±14.3 | 11.1±11.7 |
| Sputum eosinophils, % | 1.7 (0.2–8) | 2.8 (0.8–14.4) | 1.8 (0–12.2) | 1 (0–10.3) | 1.8 (0.25–7.4) |
| Sputum neutrophils, % | 43.1 (17.6–63.8) | 41.7 (13–65.8) | 32 (16.4–49.5) | 45 (22.7–73.9) | 52.5 (29.1–75.1) |
| FeNO, ppb | 17 (12–37) | 47 (23–87) | 46 (21–75) | 32 (13–61) | 24 (12–45) |
| ACQ | 2.36±1.2 | 1.57±1.1 | 1.34±0.9 | 1.69±1.1 | 2.16±1.3 |
| AQLQ | 4.39±1.28 | 5.18±1.17 | 5.15±1.1 | 4.74±1.37 | 4.4±1.35 |
Data are presented as mean±SD or median (IQR); PC20 is expressed as geometric mean (range).
ACQ, Asthma Control Questionnaire; AQLQ, Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire; FeNO, exhaled nitric oxide; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; ICS, inhaled corticosteroids; PC20, concentration required to provoke a fall in FEV1 of 20% or more; VC, vital capacity.