Table 1 Patients’ characteristics and comparison between patients with bronchial hyperresponsiveness who responded (CVA patients) and not responded (non-CVA patients) to anti-asthmatic therapy
|  | All patients (N = 49) | Non-CVA (6; 12.2%) | CVA (43; 87.8%) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Age (years) | 60.0 (54.0–68.0) | 54.5 (45.0–56.0) | 61.0 (55.0–69.0) | 0.0961 |
Gender (N female, %) | 40 (81.6%) | 5 (83.3%) | 35 (81.4%) | 0.6540 |
Cough duration (months) | 48.0 (24.0–120.0) | 84.0 (36.0–204.0) | 48.0 (24.0–120.0) | 0.5190 |
Smoking status (N ex-smokers, %) | 12 (24.5%) | 0 (0%) | 31 (27.9%) | 0.3260 |
Blood eosinophil count (cells/μL) | 197.4 (128.3–303.7) | 235.3 (157.5–405.0) | 189.0 (120.7–284.2) | 0.2578 |
BMI (kg/m2) | 30.2 (25.8–33.1) | 28.6 (26.8–31.4) | 30.2 (24.7–33.2) | 0.9878 |
FEV1 (% predicted) | 86.0 (80.0–100.0) | 92.5 (85.0–101.0) | 86.0 (80.0–100.0) | 0.4453 |
FeNO (ppb) | 17.5 (12.2–27.0) | 13.5 (10.9–24.5) | 17.9 (13.7–27.1) | 0.2891 |
PC20 (mg/mL) | 2.0 (0.8–4.4) | 2.2 (0.7–3.2) | 2.0 (0.8–5.0) | 0.6583 |
PC20 < 1 mg/mL (N patients, %) | 14 (28.6%) | 2 (33.3%) | 12 (27.9%) | 0.5590 |
PC20 < 4 mg/mL (N patients, %) | 35 (71.4%) | 5 (83.3%) | 30 (69.8%) | 0.4410 |
Sputum neutrophil percentage (%) | 43.0 (34.0–52.0) | 62.0 (49.0–62.0) | 41.5 (31.5–51.5) | 0.0291 |
Sputum eosinophil percentage (%) | 1.0 (0.0–4.0) | 0.0 (0.0–3.0) | 1.0 (0.0–4.0) | 0.5999 |
Atopy (N patients, %) | 23 (46.7%) | 2 (33.3%) | 21 (48.8%) | 0.7820 |
UACS (N patients, %) | 38 (77.6%) | 5 (83.3%) | 33 (76.7%) | 0.8730 |
GER (N patients, %) | 27 (55.1%) | 6 (100%) | 21 (48.8%) | 0.0183 |
Initial LCQ (points) | 10.4 (8.4–13.1) | 9.9 (9.1–10.9) | 10.7 (8.3–13.8) | 0.6148 |
Change in LCQ due to treatment (points) | 4.8 (2.2–6.2) | 1.8 (0.2–3.6) | 4.9 (3.1–6.5) | 0.0153 |
Initial VAS (mm) | 69.0 (43.5–80.0) | 57.5 (40.0–80.0) | 69.0 (49.0–80.0) | 0.4729 |
Change in VAS due to treatment (mm) | 38.0 (27.0–56.0) | 8.0 (− 15.0 to 35.0) | 41.0 (27.0–58.0) | 0.0188 |
Initial capsaicin threshold C2 (μmol/L) | 5.9 (2.0–15.7) | 1.5 (1.0–6.4) | 7.8 (3.4–15.7) | 0.0338 |
Initial capsaicin threshold C5 (μmol/L) | 7.8 (3.9–15.7) | 5.9 (2.4–19.5) | 7.8 (3.9–15.7) | 0.4994 |
Final capsaicin threshold C2 (μmol/L) | 3.9 (2.0–15.7) | 1.0 (0.5–1.0) | 5.9 (3.9–15.7) | 0.0073 |
Final capsaicin threshold C5 (μmol/L) | 7.8 (3.9–15.7) | 1.0 (1.0–3.9) | 11.7 (3.9–15.7) | 0.0219 |
Change in the capsaicin threshold C2 after treatment (μmol/L)a | 0 (− 1.5 to 3.9) | − 0.5 (− 6.9 to 0) | 0 (0–3.9) | 0.1248 |
Change in the capsaicin threshold C5 after treatment (μmol/L)a | 0 (0–7.8) | − 6.8 (− 30.2 to 0) | 0 (0–11.8) | 0.0466 |