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Table 1 Description of the study population.

From: Contribution of alpha- and beta-defensins to lung function decline and infection in smokers: an association study

Variable

Fast decline (n = 275)

No decline (n = 304)

p Value*

Age, yr†

49.5 (6.4)

47.6 (6.9)

0.0007

Sex, n (%)

163 men (59)

203 men (67)

0.06

Smoking history, pk yrs†‡

43.3 (19.1)

38.3 (18.1)

0.0005

Baseline FEV1, % predicted†§

72.7 (8.9)

75.7 (8.1)

<0.0001

Methacholine response†ll

-23.4 (32.7)

-7.5 (14.0)

<0.0001

  1. * p Values derived from Wilcoxon test or chi-square analysis.
  2. † Mean (SD).
  3. ‡ Number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day × number of years of smoking.
  4. § Lung function at the start of the study as measured percent predicted FEV1 (postbronchodilator).
  5. ll Measurement of the responsiveness of the airways to methacholine expressed as percent decline in FEV1 per final cumulative dose of methacholine administered[36] Methacholine response is strongly associated with rate of decline in lung function[37,38]
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Respiratory Research

ISSN: 1465-993X

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