Table 2 Comparison of the baseline characteristics of the ICS exposed and unexposed cohorts

Mean age (years)

65.5

67.2

< 0.0001

Mean BMI (kg/m2)

26.3

26.6

0.1772

Smoking (pack years)

34.7

39.0

< 0.0001

Social deprivation (Scottish index of multiple deprivation; 1 = most deprived, 5 = most affluent)

2.31

2.29

0.5972

Dyspnoea score (1 = least breathless, 5 = most breathless)

2.57

2.19

< 0.0001

Gender (female)

51.9%

49.5%

0.1693

Primary CV prevention (hypertension, dyslipidaemia)

73.4%

79.0%

0.0003

Secondary CV prevention (myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, PVD)

11.3%

15.6%

0.0002

Renal diseases history

2.9%

2.5%

0.4692

Diabetes history

8.0%

9.8%

0.0711

Pneumonia history

5.4%

3.8%

0.0375

Fracture history

5.7%

5.8%

0.8413

Cataract history

10.3%

10.9%

0.5840

Oral steroids prescription history

58.9%

30.0%

< 0.0001

Rectal steroids prescription history

11.8%

10.4%

0.1971

Topical steroids prescription history

61.1%

59.8%

0.4540

FEV₁ baseline (Litres)

1.63 (0.65)

1.82 (0.63)

< 0.0001

Percent predicted FEV₁^*

74.9 (23.3)

85.0 (20.8)

< 0.0001

FEV₁ /FVC ratio

55.1 (10.9)

59.8 (8.6)

< 0.0001