Circulating miRNA expression in asthmatics is age-related and associated with clinical asthma parameters, respiratory function and systemic inflammation

Table 1 Detailed clinical and demographic characteristics of the study groups

	Asthma, n = 59	Control, n = 59	p-value
Women, n/N (%)	36/59 (61%)	41/59 (69.5%)	ns
age years, mean ± SD	54.5 ± 16.8	52.8 ± 18.3	ns
atopy, n/N (%)	35/59 (59.3%)	24/59 (40.7%)	0.006
BMI, median (25–75%)	27.7 (23.9–30.9)	24.8 (22.2–28.4)	0.02
BMI > 25, n/N (%)	40/59 (67.8%)	27/59 (45.8%)	0.01
FEV1%pred. val., median (25–75%)	93.5 (82.9–105)	110.6 (101.7–113.9)	< 0.001
FEV1%/FVC, mean ± SD	69.6 ± 9.3	77.2 ± 8.8	0.001
R5Hz %pred. value, median (25–75%)	129.8 (97.1–159.4)	94.8 (84.6–110.7)	< 0.001
δR5–R20% pred., median (25–75%)	23.6 (10.7–43.7)	15.4 (8.5–23.1)	0.006
δR5–R20 > 20%, n/N (%)	36/58 (62.1%)	19/58 (32.8%)	0.001
FeNO ppb, median (25–75%)	21.5 (17.5–28)	20 (17–24.5)	ns
FeNO > 25 ppb n/N (%)	23/57 (40.4%)	13/57 (22.8%)	0.04
Number of comorbidities, median (25–75%)	4 (2–7)	1 (0–3)	< 0.001
ACT, median (25–75%)	21 (18–25)	–	–

Normally-distributed data are presented as mean ± standard deviation and analysed by Student’s t-test. Variables that were not normally distributed are presented as median and 25–75% percentile (in parentheses) and analysed by the Mann–Whitney test. The χ² test was used for testing relationships between categorical variables. Bold text indicates a statistically significant p-value
FeNO fractional exhaled nitric oxide, ACT asthma control test, FEV1% pred. forced expiratory volume in one second % of predicted value, FEV1%FVC forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ratio, R5Hz% pred. resistance at 5 Hz, % of predicted value, δR5–20 Hz difference of resistance at 5 and 20 Hz, BMI body mass index

ISSN: 1465-993X