Control Mild asthma Moderate asthma Severe asthma
Case (n) 31 21 36 47
Sex (M/F) 12/15 9/12 18/18 26/19
Age (y) 53.0±8.4 45.5±14.9 49.0±11.8 50.6±10.2
Body-mass index (kg/m2) 23.3±2.8 23.7±4.0 24.4±3.3 23.5±3.2
Body surface area (m2) 1.62±0.16 1.62±0.17 1.63±0.34 1.66±0.20
Atopy (n, %) - 8 (38.1%) 27 (75.0%) 36 (76.6%)
Disease duration (yrs) - 5.6±9.3§ 12.8±10.2 13.2±11.7*
FEV1 (L) 2.60±0.61‡§ 2.19±0.72§ 1.92±0.84* 1.65±0.67*†
FVC (L) 3.29±0.80 3.04±1.04 3.02±0.93 2.85±0.77
FEV1% predicted 99.6±10.4 †‡§ 82.1±14.6 *‡§ 68.8±20.3 *† 60.6±19.2 *†
FEV1/FVC ratio 79.3±5.5 ‡§ 72.1±8.7 ‡§ 62.7±14.0 *† 57.5±13.7 *†
MMEF % predicted 68.9±17.3 †‡§ 41.8±19.6 * 36.1±27.1 * 27.3±23.6 *
Blood eosinophils ×109 (cells/L) - 0.48±0.66 0.40±0.42 0.37±0.37
Sputum eosinophils (%) - 23.7±23.0 26.9±27.0 25.0±24.8