Participant asthma profile at V4 (36 weeks)
| ACQ group | FeNO group | p-value# | |
| Subjects n | 29 | 29 | |
| Quality of life | |||
| ACQ | 0.8 (0.4–2) | 0.8 (0.4–1.8) | 0.7 |
| Mini AQLQ | 6.2 (5.3–6.6) | 6.2 (5.3–6.6) | 0.5 |
| Spirometry | |||
| RDR %·mg−1¶ | 0.02 (0.01–0.06) | 0.02 (0.01–0.06) | 0.6 |
| FEV1 L | 3.15±0.96 | 3.33±0.85 | 0.4 |
| FEV1 % | 89.7±12.4 | 94.6±15.4 | 0.2 |
| FVC L | 4.17±1.22 | 4.41±0.96 | 0.4 |
| FEV1/FVC % | 75.8±8.1 | 75.3±8.4 | 0.8 |
| FeNO ppb | 21 (14–29) | 15 (12–18) | 0.03 |
| Present treatment | |||
| ICS use | 17 (59) | 20 (67) | 0.5 |
| ICS dose | 0 (0–800) | 100 (0–600) | 0.8 |
| LABA use | 8 (28) | 11 (37) | 0.5 |
| LABA dose | 18 (18–18) | 18 (9–36) | 0.7 |
| Inflammatory features | |||
| Leukocyte ×109·L−1 | 6.0 (5.3–8.1) | 6.0 (5.3–8.1) | 0.4 |
| Eosinophil ×109·L−1 | 0.14 (0.10–0.27) | 0.17 (0.11–0.26) | 0.7 |
| Neutrophil ×109·L−1 | 3.50 (2.70–4.10) | 2.90 (2.50–4.30) | 0.3 |
| CRP mg·L−1 | 1.0 (1.0–2.0) | 1.0 (1.0–1.4) | 0.8 |
| IgE kU·L−1 | 79 (7–235) | 56 (15–211) | 0.9 |
| IL-6 pg·mg−1 | 1.5 (0.9–2.4) | 1.3 (0.9–2.1) | 0.7 |
| IL-8 pg·mg−1 | 106.9 (33.0–248.1) | 127.7 (61.6–222.3) | 0.6 |
| Sputum inflammation | |||
| Eosinophils % | 0.75 (0–3.25) | 1.38 (0.25–2.75) | 0.7 |
| Neutrophils % | 21.8 (11.3–54.5) | 25.6 (13.6–65.6) | 0.7 |
| Macrophage % | 42.8 (12.3–67.0) | 35.1 (19.5–58.6) | 0.5 |
| Columnar epithelia % | 5.5 (1.8–26.5) | 15 (5.3–30.3) | 0.2 |
Data are presented as median (interquartile range), mean±sd or n (%), unless otherwise stated. ACQ: Asthma Control Questionnaire; FeNO: exhaled nitric oxide fraction; AQLQ: Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire; RDR: response dose ratio; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC: forced vital capacity; ICS: inhaled corticosteroids; LABA: long-acting β2-agonist; CRP: C-reactive protein; Ig: immunoglobulin; IL: interleukin. #: based on Chi-squared tests, t-tests and Wilcoxon rank sum tests; ¶: analysis of 26 patients in the FeNO group and 28 patients in the ACQ group.