Figure 3

Sputum neutrophil counts in healthy controls and asthma patients and correlation of IL-17A and IL-8 mRNA levels with the neutrophil count in asthmatics. Cytospins of induced sputum of healthy controls (n = 11) and asthmatic patients (n = 32) were stained with May Grünwald Giemsa. Neutrophils are counted as percentage of the leukocytes. IL-17A and IL-8 mRNA levels in induced sputum of asthmatic patients (n = 27) were determined as explained in figure 1 and 2. Open symbols represent patients treated with corticosteroids, closed symbols represent patients without corticosteroid-treatment. The mean is indicated with a horizontal line. Differences are studied by student t-test (A) and correlation was studied by Spearman non-parametric test (B-C). * = p < 0.05, ** = p < 0.01 and *** = p < 0.001.