Table 1 Patients characteristics

n

228

223

-

-

Age,y

54 (42–62)

56 (49–63)

< 0.001

-12.871

Sex (% female)

64

57.4

0.149

-

Body mass index, kg/m²

23.2 (20.9–25.6)

26.0 (23.7–27.9)

< 0.001

-7.792

Smoking History(%)

Non smoker

82

79.8

0.553

-

Ex-smoker

13

10

0.274

-

Current smoker

5

10.3

0.027

-

Current or former smokers > 10 pack-y (%)

83

91

0.256

-

Pack-year

20 (10–30)

25 (16–30)

0.216

-1.236

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide, ppb

18.5 (12-31.75)

33 (17–69)

< 0.001

-5.78

Blood eosinophil count, µL

0.12 (0.07–0.24)

0.2 (0.08–0.43)

< 0.001

-3.925

Respiratory function (%)

FEV₁(%)

90 (80.77-102.75)

83 (66-99.23)

< 0.001

-3.91

FVC(%)

103.80 (94.59–113)

101.43 (86.91–112)

0.046

-1.992

FEV₁/FVC(%)

91.93 (83.78–98.84)

87 (71-95.69)

< 0.001

-4.459

FEF₇₅

81.9 (60.25–99.95)

66 (39.4–89.9)

< 0.001

-4.548

FEF₅₀

59.2 (40.45–78.75)

45 (24–64)

< 0.001

-5.231

FEF₂₅

46.25 (28-64.95)

29 (15.8–48)

< 0.001

-5.793

FEF_{25 − 75}

55.65 (33.425-71)

38 (18.6–61.7)

< 0.001

-5.255

Asthma control test score

23 (21–24)

15 (11–18)

< 0.001

-17.279