Table 1 Clinical characteristics of Smokers and COPD groups, stratified by gender

GOLD (I/II)

n.a.

4/6

n.a.

n.a.

5/3^b

n.a.

GOLD (A/B)

n.a.

8/2

n.a.

n.a.

7/1^b

n.a.

Age

55.2 ± 6.0

56.9 ± 6.3

NS

57.1 ± 5.5

58.4 ± 3.9

NS

BAL macrophages [%]

95.7 ± 2.4

97.0 ± 1.4

NS

96.4 ± 2.5

95.1 ± 2.8

NS

BAL lymphocytes [%]^a

2.3 (1.2, 5.4)

1.4 (0.2, 5.6)

NS

1.7 (1, 7.2)

3.3 (1, 8.6)

NS

BAL neutrophils [%]^a

0.8 (0.2, 3.6)

0.8 (0, 1.6)

NS

0.5 (0, 2.8)

0.5 (0.2, 1.4)

NS

BAL eosinophils [%]^a

0.0 (0, 1.4)

0.3 (0, 1.2)

NS

0.1 (0, 1.2)

0.2 (0, 0.6)

NS

BAL basophils [%]^a

0.0 (0, 0.4)

0.0 (0, 0)

NS

0.0 (0, 0.2)

0.0 (0, 0.2)

NS

BAL mast cells/10 vis fields^a

3(0.8)

3(0.6)

NS

3(0.13)

1.5(0.20)

NS

BMI

25.4 ± 2.8

25.1 ± 3.9

NS

24.8 ± 2.6

24.7 ± 4.2

NS

Packs/years

41.4 ± 18.8

42.3 ± 10.1

NS

37.6 ± 11.4

37.3 ± 9.4

NS

Cigarettes/day in last 6 months

19.4 ± 7.8

18.4 ± 5.2

NS

15.6 ± 5.8

14.9 ± 7.9

NS

FEV₁ (% predicted)

104 ± 12.1

76.0 ± 8.0

< 0.01

107 ± 14.12^c

81.5 ± 14^b

< 0.01

FEV₁/FVC (% predicted)

77.3 ± 5.0

61.8 ± 6.6

< 0.01

77.4 ± 5.3^c

58.8 ± 6.6^b

< 0.01