Airway function and inflammatory markers in the different wheeze pattern groups for the entire cohort at age 18 years
| Variable | Never wheeze | Transient wheeze | Remitting/intermittent wheeze | Persistent/relapsing wheeze | Late onset wheeze |
| Number of subjects | 83 | 18 | 11 | 15 | 11 |
| Airway function | |||||
| FEV1 (z-score) | 0.10 (0.93) | 0.15 (1.63) | −0.16 (0.97) | −0.80 (0.79)* | 0.07 (0.74) |
| FEV1/FVC (z-score) | −0.14 (0.97) | −0.25 (1.21) | −0.62 (1.02) | −0.91 (0.88)* | −0.16 (1.24) |
| FEF25-75 (z-score) | −0.08 (0.83) | −0.16 (0.89) | −0.45 (0.85) | −0.93 (0.73)** | −0.24 (0.85) |
| LCI | 6.54 (0.38) | 6.52 (0.55) | 6.46 (0.35) | 6.81 (0.42)* | 6.97 (0.67)** |
| FeNO (ppb) | 13 (6–74) | 12 (6–34) | 21 (5–34) | 25 (7–84)* | 18 (7–69) |
| Challenge (DACh) | |||||
| Fall in FEV1 (%) | 3.1 (0.0–11.3) | 4.5 (0.0–22.1) | 1.1 (0.0–6.4) | 8.0 (0.0–31.0)*** | 11.8 (0.3–42.8) |
| Reversibility | |||||
| Rise in FEV1 (%) | 3.0 (0.0–10.6) | 4.8 (0.0–10.2) | 6.1 (0.6–10.2) | 6.7 (0.0–10.2)* | 5.4 (0.0–7.8) |
| Inflammatory markers | |||||
| Blood eosinophils (×109/l) | 0.13 (0.01–0.79) | 0.18 (0.04–0.72) | 0.16 (0.09–0.20) | 0.30 (0.06–0.57)** | 0.19 (0.04–0.47) |
Data are displayed as mean (SD) or median (range).
Statistical analyses refer to comparison with the non-wheeze group.
*p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001.
DACh, dry air hyperventilation challenge; FEF25–75, forced expiratory fraction at 25–75% forced vital capacity; FeNO, fraction exhaled nitric oxide; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; ppb, parts per billion.