| COPD | Smokers | Nonsmokers | p-value |
Absolute numbers | | | | |
CD4+ | | | | |
Sub-epithelial | 448 (160–1750) | 200 (120–1260) | 260 (50–940) | 0.02 |
Follicle | 4390 (2040–10370) | 3370 (1410–5640) | 2900 (1740–7900) | 0.004 |
Cluster | 4410 (2630–11810) | 5330 (2100–28850) | 4080 (1520–6710) | ns |
CD4+Foxp3+ | | | | |
Sub-epithelial | 36 (0–490) | 64 (0–310) | 10 (0–250) | ns |
Follicle | 570 (100–1890) | 310 (5–1280) | 350 (0–860) | 0.0007 |
Cluster | 330 (110–4350) | 560 (110–5910) | 310 (30–930) | ns |
Percentage T-regulatory cells | | | | |
CD4+Foxp3+ | | | | |
Sub-epithelial | 7 (0–28) | 8 (0–55) | 2 (0–48) | ns |
Follicle | 16 (3–48) | 10 (3–35) | 8 (0–20) | 0.02 |
Cluster | 8 (3–37) | 11 (3–20) | 9 (1–21) | ns |
p-value | 0.0007 | ns | ns | |