Table 1

Clinical characteristics of the patients in immunohistochemistry analyses


Non-smokers
Smokers
COPD st I–II
COPD st IV
p-value

Total (n)
9
10
10
16

Male/Female
2/7
9/1
7/3
10/6

Age (years)
66 (13)
62 (7)
60 (8)
54 (7)

Pack years
0
51 (11)
32 (18)
29 (17)
p < 0.0001
FEV1 (l)
2.7 (1.4)
3.0 (0.8)
2.4 (0.8)
0.6 (0.3)
p < 0.0001
FEV1 (% of ref)
104 (16)
85 (10)
73 (13)
20 (10)
p < 0.0001
FEV1/FVC (%)
85 (10)
79 (7)
70 (12)
34 (9)
p < 0.0001
DCO (% of ref)
91 (18)
79 (15)
69 (13)
25 (8)
p < 0.0001
DCO/VA (% of ref)
90 (12)
83 (12)
71 (14)
37 (10)
p < 0.0001

Data is shown as mean (SD), as % of reference where applicable. None of the patients with stage I–II disease were on oral or inhaled corticosteroids. All patients with stage IV COPD had inhaled corticosteroid (below 1 mg). None of the patients were on N-acetylcysteine or vitamins. No one had previous asbestos exposure.

Peltoniemi et al. Respiratory Research 2006 7:133   doi:10.1186/1465-9921-7-133