Demographic characteristics of subjects*
| STRA (n=19) | MA (n=16) | Controls (n=13) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 11 (9–14) | 12 (11–13) | 10.5 (9–13) | 0.2† |
| Male | 9 (47%) | 7 (58%) | 8 (61%) | 0.1‡ |
| FEV1 (% predicted) | 75 (65–86) | 89 (84–96) | 95 (90–98) | <0.001† |
| FVC (% predicted) | 88 (76–96) | 102 (96–110) | 96 (94–108) | <0.001† |
| FEV1 to FVC ratio | 73 (68–84) | 88 (78–92) | 93 (89–97) | <0.001† |
| Atopic§ (%) | 16 (84%) | 12 (75%) | 3 (23%) | <0.001‡ |
| IgE (IU/mL) | 498 (127–650) | 690 (280–1240) | 12.5 (8–51) | <0.001† |
| BDR¶ (%) | 14 (6–17) | 4 (3.5–6) (n=4) | NA | 0.08** |
| ACT†† | 12 (8–15) | 19 (17–21) | NA | <0.001** |
| Daily inhaled corticosteroid dose (μg/day)‡‡ | 1400 (1000–2000) | 600 (500–800) | NA | <0.001** |
| Median exacerbations in last 6 months requiring oral steroids | 3 (2–4) | 1 (0–2) | NA | <0.001** |
Decimal values were approximated to the closest integer for ease of exposition.
*Values are given in median (IQR) for continuous variables or as number (%) for binary variables.
†p Value calculated by Kruskal–Wallis test.
‡p Value calculated by χ² test.
§One or more positive allergen-specific IgE responses.
¶Rise in FEV1 postbronchodilator (%).
**p Value calculated by Mann–Whitney test.
††Score out of 25.
‡‡Beclomethasone equivalent.
ACT, asthma control test; BDR, bronchodilator response; MA, moderate asthma; STRA, severe therapy-resistant asthma patients.