TABLE 1

Baseline characteristics of patients with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (cHP) and healthy subjects

cHPHealthy subjects
Subjects n2818
Females16 (57.1)10 (55.6)
Age years56±11.554±12.8
BMI kg·m−227.2 (25.4–30.4)26.6 (23–28)
Baseline dyspnoea index mMRC1 (1–2)
Smokers8 (29)
Oxygen saturation at rest %94±2
Symptoms at diagnosis
 Dyspnoea24 (86)
 Cough23 (82)
 Wheezing20 (71)
 Weight loss11 (38)
 Duration of symptoms months24 (12–45)
Exposure
 Mould21 (75)
 Birds18 (64)
 Feather pillow6 (21)
 Others3 (11)
 No recognised exposure0 (0)
 Actual exposure/previous exposure n4/24
Pulmonary function tests
 FVC L2.03±0.653.33±0.85*
 FVC % pred57±1789±10*
 FEV1 L1.75±0.522.74±0.62*
 FEV1 % pred61±1690 ±10*
 FEV1/FVC0.87±0.050.82±0.04*
 FEF25–75%98±31
 TLC L3.37±0.90
 TLC % pred64 (53–72)
 RV L1.18 (1.06–1.47)
 RV % pred77 (60–88)
 RV/TLC0.39±0.07
DLCO % pred42 (31–63)
HRCT findings
 Centrilobular nodules3 (11)
 Ground-glass opacities26 (96)
 Mosaic pattern15 (54)
 Honeycombing4 (14)
 Findings suggestive of fibrosis25 (89)
 Emphysema0 (0)
 Bronchoalveolar lavage21 (75)
 Lymphocyte count23 (10–38)
 CD4/CD8 ratio0.57 (0.37–1.29)
 Lung biopsy21 (78)
 Transbronchial16 (59)
 Surgical5 (19)

Data are presented as n (%), mean±sd if normally distributed or median (25th–75th percentile), unless otherwise stated. BMI: body mass index; mMRC: modified Medical Research Council; FVC: forced vital capacity; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FEF25–75%: forced expiratory flow at 25–75% of FVC; TLC: total lung capacity; RV: residual volume; DLCO: diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide; HRCT: high-resolution computed tomography. *: p<0.05.