Study population characteristics
| Total population | Individuals with no PEX | Individuals with at least one PEX | P value | |
| N (females) | 90 (53) | 67 (40) | 23 (13) | 0.81* |
| Age (years) at baseline | 12.8 [9.1 to 17.8] | 13.1 [9.1 to 19.3] | 12.3 [8.9 to 16.4] | 0.62† |
| BMI at baseline | 18.7 [16.1 to 21.6] | 19.4 [16.9 to 21.8] | 17.1 [15.5 to 21.2] | 0.09† |
| FEV1 at baseline | −1.00 [−1.92 to −0.18] | −0.87 [−1.66 to 0.02] | −1.81 [−3.13 to −1.14] | 0.003† |
| LCI at baseline | 9.70 [8.24 to 11.74] | 9.66 [7.94 to 10.94] | 9.77 [8.59 to 12.96] | 0.20† |
| Pseudomonas at baseline | 0.29* | |||
| Free, n (%) | 69 (98.6) | 50 (100) | 19 (95) | |
| Intermittent, n (%) | 1 (1.4) | 0 | 1 (5.0) | |
| Hypertonic saline at baseline, n (%) | 34 (42.0) | 21 (35.6) | 13 (59.1) | 0.08* |
| Antibiotics at baseline, n (%) | 26 (28.9) | 18 (26.9) | 8 (34.8) | 0.60* |
| Visits (n); per individual during follow-up | 436; 4 [2 to 7] | 270; 3 [2 to 5] | 166; 5 [7 to 9] | <0.001† |
| Time intervals (days) during follow-up | 120 [77 to 182] | 145 [91 to 214] | 98 [42 to 182] | <0.001† |
Data are given as median [IQR] or n (%). Data on treatment with inhaled hypertonic saline were available in 81 individuals and respiratory samples in 70 at baseline. Antibiotics—current treatment with oral or inhaled antibiotics; Hypertonic saline—current treatment with inhaled hypertonic saline solution; Time intervals during follow-up—time between visits in days.
*Fisher’s exact test.
†Wilcoxon rank-sum test.
BMI, body mass index; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; LCI, lung clearance index; PEX, pulmonary exacerbation; Pseudomonas, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.