Fig. 4

Frequencies of A exacerbation requiring systemic corticosteroids (p = 0.51 among the three transition patterns by the Kruskal–Wallis test), B exacerbation requiring antibiotics (p = 0.02 among the three patterns and p = 0.06 for low-to-low vs high’-to-high’), C bronchopneumonia (p = 0.03 among the three patterns and p = 0.02 for low-to-low vs high’-to-high’), and D hospitalisation (p = 0.08), in the last 2 years. Boxes and bars indicate upper, lower, and median quartiles