Table 2 Patient characteristics and inflammation markers in relation to allergen component sensitization (n = 408)

Number (%)

179 (44)

156 (38)

73 (18)

207 (51)

141 (34)

60 (15)

188 (46)

179 (44)

41 (10)

Age (years)^a

20.9 ± 0.5

21.2 ± 0.6

17.6 ± 0.7*^,#

21 ± 0.5

21 ± 0.6

17.2 ± 0.7^¤,#

20.8 ± 0.5

20.5 ± 0.5

17.9 ± 0.9

Female^b

95 (53)

83 (53)

30 (41)

107 (52)

77 (55)

24 (40)

101 (54)

90 (50)

17 (41)

FeNO (ppb)3

12.7 (11.3–14.2)

16.7 (14.8–18.7)*

23.2 (19.6–27.5)*^,#

13.1 (11.7–14.5)

17.3 (15.4–19.5)^¤

23.6 (19.5–28.5)^¤,#

12.8 (11.5–14.3)

17.7 (15.8–19.9)^∆

23.5 (19.1–29)^∆

FEV1 (%)1

92.9 ± 1.1

92.2 ± 1.2

89.6 ± 1.6

93 ± 1

91.8 ± 1.2

89.4 ± 1.8

92.9 ± 1

91.9 ± 1

89 ± 2.4

Methacholine ch.test (PD20)^d

0.4 (0.1–3)

0.3 (0.1–1.8)

0.1 (0.1–0.4)*

0.4 (0.1–2.9)

0.3 (0.1–1.2)

0.1 (0–0.1)

0.4 (0.1–7.2)

0.3 (0.1–1.2)

0.1 (0–0.6)

Eosinophils (10⁹/L)^c

0.15 (0.13–0.16)

0.17 (0.15–0.2)

0.34 (0.29–0.41)*^,#

0.14 (0.13–0.16)

0.19 (0.17–0.22)^¤

0.34 (0.28–0.41)^¤,#

0.15 (0.13–0.17)

0.19 (0.17–0.22)^∆

0.37 (0.29–0.46)^∆,☼

ECP (µg/L)^c

11.6 (10.5–12.7)

12.4 (11.1–13.8)

20 (17–23.5)*^,#

11.6 (10.6–12.7)

13.2 (11.7 –14.9)

19.7 (16.5–23.5)^¤,#

11.7 (10.6–12.8)

13.1 (11.8–14.5)

22.1 (17.8–27.4)^∆,☼

Total IgE (kU/L)^c

58 (46–73)

213 (176–258)*

523 (396–689)*^,#

63 (51–78)

265 (216–325)^¤

515 (378–701)^¤,#

62 (49–77)

226 (190–270)^∆

803 (557–1158)^∆,☼

Eczema (ever)^b

67 (37)

100 (64)*

59 (81)*^,#

77 (37)

101 (72)^¤

48 (80)^¤

73 (39)

118 (66)^∆

35 (85)^∆,☼

Inh.corticosteroids (µg/day)^c

404 (369–443)

416 (375–461)

358 (315–407)

400 (369–434)

425 (380–475)

345 (299–399)

404 (370–442)

404 (367–444)

368 (307–442)

Birch pollen sensitization^b

13 (7)

151 (97) *

64 (88)*^,#

39 (19)

137 (97) ^¤

52 (87)^¤,#

14 (7)

176 (98)^∆

38 (93)^∆

Ara h 8 sensitization^b

–

132 (94)

42 (70)^#

Cor a 1 sensitization^b

–

169 (94)

35 (85)