Baseline characteristics
| Ciclesonide (n=15) | Placebo (n=15) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years)* | 48.5 (11.6) | 53.3 (13.3) |
| Female (%) | 7 (47%) | 7 (47%) |
| BMI* | 29.9 (4.6) | 27.3 (4.6) |
| ICS dose (µg BDP)† | 1600 (1200–2000) | 1600 (1000–2000) |
| Regular prednisolone (%) | 6 (40%) | 4 (27%) |
| Prednisolone dose (mg)† | 5 (5–10) | 5 (5–10) |
| FEV1 (L)* | 2.0 (0.6) | 1.8 (0.6) |
| FEV1 (% predicted)* | 61.8 (14.9) | 60.1 (9.4) |
| ACQ score* | 3.2 (1.0) | 2.8 (0.8) |
| AQLQ score* | 4.0 (1.1) | 4.3 (1.1) |
| FeNO (ppb)‡ | 58.9 (0.3) | 43.7 (0.3) |
| Corrected alveolar NO (ppb)† | 3.3 (0.6–6.4) | 2.6 (1.4–4.5) |
| Sputum eosinophils (%)† | 23 (7.5–51.1) | 9.6 (6.8–31.5) |
| Sputum neutrophils (%)† | 43.5 (27.5–73.0) | 50.5 (31.8–70.5) |
| Blood eosinophils (×109/L)† | 0.5 (0.5–0.9) | 0.4 (0.2–0.7) |
| Blood neutrophils (×109/L)† | 4.5 (3.6–6.3) | 5.0 (3.7–6.6) |
| Serum cortisol (nmol/L)† | 266 (217–414) | 254 (191–294) |
*Mean (SD).
†Median (IQR).
‡Geometric mean (log SD).
ACQ, Asthma Control Questionnaire; AQLQ, Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire; BDP, beclometasone dipropionate; BMI, body mass index; FeNO, fractional exhaled nitric oxide; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; ICS, inhaled corticosteroid; NO, nitric oxide.