Table 1. Baseline patient characteristics according to the number of exacerbations during the year following flexible bronchoscopy
Variables No-Ex Low-Ex High-Ex p value
n 20 27 33
Male sex 12/20 (60.0) 18/27 (66.7) 24/33 (72.7) 0.627
Age (years) 3.4 [2.0; 4.1] 2.4 [1.6; 3.6] 2.6 [2.0; 3.7] 0.227
Body mass index (Z-score) -0.16 [-0.63; 0.74] 0.13 [-0.79; 0.96] 0.37 [0.02; 0.93] 0.313
Gestational age (weeks) 39 [39; 40] 39 [38; 40] 39 [38; 40] 0.518
Birth weight (grams) 3260 [2865; 3640] 3260 [2613; 3503] 3170 [2795; 3490] 0.781
Post-natal cigarette smoke exposure 10/20 (50.0) 16/27 (59.3) 19/33 (57.6) 0.602
Parental history of atopy 19/20 (95.0) 21/27 (77.8) 29/33 (87.9) 0.223
History or current atopic dermatitis 8/20 (40.0) 4/27 (14.8) 19/33 (57.6) 0.003c
Aeroallergen allergy/sensitization 5/20 (25.0) 6/27 (22.2) 12/33 (36.4) 0.442
Food allergy/sensitization 6/20 (30.0) 5/27 (18.5) 6/33 (18.2) 0.543
Gastroesophageal reflux 6/20 (30.0) 9/27 (33.3) 15/33 (45.5) 0.456
Multi-trigger wheezing 13/20 (65.0) 23/27 (85.2) 26/33 (78.8) 0.254
Disease duration (mo) 21.4 [13.2; 36.1] 19.7 [9.4; 27.8] 23.2 [17.5; 37.8] 0.224
Age at 1st wheezing episode (mo) 5.0 [4.0; 9.0] 4.0 [3.0; 9.5] 3.0 [1.0; 5.0] 0.007b,c
Within a year prior to inclusion
No. of OCS bursts 5.0 [2.0; 7.0] 4.0 [3.0; 5.5] 5.0 [3.0; 8.0] 0.475
≥3 OCS bursts 14/20 (70.0) 23/27 (85.2) 28/33 (84.8) 0.330
Hospitalized 14/20 (70.0) 20/27 (74.1) 25/33 (75.8) 0.898
No. of hospitalizations 1 [0; 1] 2 [0.5; 2.5] 2 [1; 3] 0.163
Total IgE (kIU/L) 63.0 [10.0; 132.0] 22.0 [8.0; 106.5] 24.5 [9.0; 85.5] 0.797
Blood eosinophils (/mm3) 200.0 [100.0; 300.0] 330.0 [170.0; 460.0] 220.0 [110.0; 470.0] 0.374
Blood eosinophils (%) 1.8 [1.0; 3.0] 3.2 [1.7; 4.2] 1.8 [1.0; 4.5] 0.371
Drug History
Inhaled steroids 20/20 (100.0) 27/27 (100.0) 33/33 (100.0) 1.000
Daily dose (µg, eq. beclomethasone) 1000 [500; 1700] 1600 [900; 2000] 1600 [500; 2000] 0.279
Montelukast 16/20 (80.0) 23/27 (85.2) 29/33 (87.9) 0.738
Long-acting beta-agonists 11/20 (55.0) 6/27 (22.2) 14/33 (42.4) 0.063
Antihistamine agents 8/20 (40.0) 7/27 (25.9) 16/33 (48.5) 0.202
Mo = month; No.= Number of; OCS= oral corticosteroids; IgE= Immunoglobulin E. Patients were divided according to their number of exacerbations in the year following bronchoscopy in No-Ex (0 exacerbation), Low-Ex (1-2 exacerbations) and High-Ex (≥3 exacerbations). Results are presented as absolute values and percentage (n/N (%)) or as median with interquartile ranges (median [IQR25; IQR75]; Comparisons between groups were performed using Kruskal-Wallis tests with Dunn’s post-tests for quantitative variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Statistical significance (bold): p<0.05 (a p<0.05 for No-Ex vs Low-Ex; b p<0.05 for No-Ex vs High-Ex; c p<0.05 for Low-Ex vs High-Ex). Mo = month; No.= Number of; OCS= oral corticosteroids; IgE= Immunoglobulin E. Patients were divided according to their number of exacerbations in the year following bronchoscopy in No-Ex (0 exacerbation), Low-Ex (1-2 exacerbations) and High-Ex (≥3 exacerbations). Results are presented as absolute values and percentage (n/N (%)) or as median with interquartile ranges (median [IQR25; IQR75]; Comparisons between groups were performed using Kruskal-Wallis tests with Dunn’s post-tests for quantitative variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Statistical significance (bold): p<0.05 (a p<0.05 for No-Ex vs Low-Ex; b p<0.05 for No-Ex vs High-Ex; c p<0.05 for Low-Ex vs High-Ex). Mo = month; No.= Number of; OCS= oral corticosteroids; IgE= Immunoglobulin E. Patients were divided according to their number of exacerbations in the year following bronchoscopy in No-Ex (0 exacerbation), Low-Ex (1-2 exacerbations) and High-Ex (≥3 exacerbations). Results are presented as absolute values and percentage (n/N (%)) or as median with interquartile ranges (median [IQR25; IQR75]; Comparisons between groups were performed using Kruskal-Wallis tests with Dunn’s post-tests for quantitative variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Statistical significance (bold): p<0.05 (a p<0.05 for No-Ex vs Low-Ex; b p<0.05 for No-Ex vs High-Ex; c p<0.05 for Low-Ex vs High-Ex). Mo = month; No.= Number of; OCS= oral corticosteroids; IgE= Immunoglobulin E. Patients were divided according to their number of exacerbations in the year following bronchoscopy in No-Ex (0 exacerbation), Low-Ex (1-2 exacerbations) and High-Ex (≥3 exacerbations). Results are presented as absolute values and percentage (n/N (%)) or as median with interquartile ranges (median [IQR25; IQR75]; Comparisons between groups were performed using Kruskal-Wallis tests with Dunn’s post-tests for quantitative variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Statistical significance (bold): p<0.05 (a p<0.05 for No-Ex vs Low-Ex; b p<0.05 for No-Ex vs High-Ex; c p<0.05 for Low-Ex vs High-Ex). Mo = month; No.= Number of; OCS= oral corticosteroids; IgE= Immunoglobulin E. Patients were divided according to their number of exacerbations in the year following bronchoscopy in No-Ex (0 exacerbation), Low-Ex (1-2 exacerbations) and High-Ex (≥3 exacerbations). Results are presented as absolute values and percentage (n/N (%)) or as median with interquartile ranges (median [IQR25; IQR75]; Comparisons between groups were performed using Kruskal-Wallis tests with Dunn’s post-tests for quantitative variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Statistical significance (bold): p<0.05 (a p<0.05 for No-Ex vs Low-Ex; b p<0.05 for No-Ex vs High-Ex; c p<0.05 for Low-Ex vs High-Ex).