Table 1 Clinical characteristics of research subjects

	Normal	Asthma
# of Subjects	7	7
Age (years)	38.3±5.4	38.4±3.5	P=NS
Gender (M:F)	(2:5)	(2:5)
Asthma severity (mild/moderate vs. severe)	n/a	5/2
Positive allergy skin test^a	2/7	6/7
Positive skin test to Dermatophagoides farinae	1/7	6/7
FEV₁ (liters)	3.51±0.20	2.63±0.14	P=0.002
FEV₁ (% predicted)	103±2.79	82.7±4.67	P=0.027
Blood eosinophils (k μl⁻¹)	0.137±0.04	0.223±0.05	P=NS
Blood eosinophils (%)	2.34±0.62	3.46±0.80	P=NS
IgE (IU ml⁻¹)	59.17±25.38	3651±3238	P=NS
FeNO (ppb)	19.1±7.4	34.2±10.2	P=NS
Oral corticosteroids (%)	0	0
Inhaled corticosteroids (%)	0	71%
BALF macrophages (× 10⁴ per ml)	1,077±253	808±247	P=NS
BALF eosinophils (× 10⁴ per ml)	0	14±6	P=NS
BALF lymphocytes (× 10⁴ per ml)	118±51	168±89	P=NS
BALF neutrophils (× 10⁴ per ml)	65±17	81±22	P=NS

Abbreviation: BALF, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Data are presented as mean±standard error of the mean. Statistical analyses were performed using a paired two-tailed T test. A P-value of ≤ 0.5 was considered as significant.
^aIndicates positive skin test reactivity to at least one of six aeroallergens.

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