Epigenetic marker of telomeric age is associated with exacerbations and hospitalizations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Table 1 Study cohort baseline characteristics

	All	Exacerbation during follow-up		*P
	All	No	Yes	*P
n	292	81	211	–
Age, year	67 ± 8	67 ± 9	67 ± 8	0.97
Males, No. (%)	165 (57)	58 (72)	107 (51)	0.001
Non-Hispanic whites, No. (%)	246 (84)	65 (80)	179 (85)	0.42
Current smokers, No. (%)	53 (18)	16 (20)	37 (18)	0.74
BMI, kg/m²	27 ± 6	27 ± 6	26 ± 6	0.84
Hospitalizations, No. (%)	68 (23)	–	68 (32)	–
Post-bronchodilator FVC, L	2.52 ± 0.80	2.60 ± 0.73	2.50 ± 0.83	0.23
Post-bronchodilator FVC, % of predicted	69.53 ± 17.35	69.56 ± 16.43	69.51 ± 17.73	0.75
Post-bronchodilator FEV₁, L	1.07 ± 0.49	1.09 ± 0.47	1.07 ± 0.49	0.72
Post-bronchodilator FEV₁, % of predicted	39.3 ± 15.62	38.96 ± 15.56	39.49 ± 15.68	0.70
FEV₁/FVC, %	42.29 ± 12.05	41.45 ± 11.45	42.31 ± 12.28	0.41
Inhaled corticosteroid use (ICS), No. (%)	230 (79)	65 (80)	165 (78)	0.75
ICS/LABA, No. (%)	148 (77)	44 (54)	104 (49)	0.51

Continuous variables are described with the mean ± SD
^*Differences between the groups’ demographic characteristics were tested using a Wilcoxon test for continuous variables, and a Fisher’s Exact test for count variables. “Post” refers to spirometry tests after bronchodilator use. Denominators used for the percentages (%) correspond to the total number of participants in each group
BMI body mass index, FEV1 forced expiratory volume in 1 s, FVC forced vital capacity, ICS inhaled corticosteroids, LABA long-acting beta-2 agonists

ISSN: 1465-993X