Patient characteristics
| Mucoid bronchitics | Purulent bronchitics | |
| Subjects n | 27 | 42 |
| Age yrs | 63.2±7.5 | 64.8±8.9 |
| Males n | 13 | 26 |
| Smokers current (ex) | 17 (10) | 18 (24) |
| Stable state pre BD FEV1 % pred | 66.8±23.2 | 55.9±22.0 |
| Stable state pre BD FEV1/VC | 53.6±16.9 | 50.8±16.0 |
| Increase in FEV1 after salbutamol L | 0.20±0.12 | 0.16±0.14 |
| Patients with FEV1/VC ratio <70% | 74.1 | 82.9 |
| On inhaled steroids priior to study n (%) | 12 (44.4) | 22 (52.4) |
| On oral theophylline n | 2 | 4 |
Demographic data are presented as mean±sd unless otherwise stated
BD: bronchodilator
FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second
VC: vital capacity
There were no significant differences between the two groups of patients