Table 1—

Anthropometric characteristics and spirometric data of stable asthmatic patients stratified by expiratory flow limitation (EFL) and non-EFL (NFL)

TotalNFLEFL
Age yrs32±13 (18–59)33±1232±14
Males/females n7/132/55/8
Height cm166±10 (150–187)168±12166±9
BMI kg·m−223±4 (17–30)21±324±4
MRC score0.55±0.51 (0–1)0.43±0.530.62±0.51
IC % pred96±21 (66–131)96±2396±21
FEV1 % pred101±21 (52–134)108±1697±23
FVC % pred112±17 (84–135)112±14111±19
FEV1/FVC %77±12 (50–84)81±875±14
FEV1/FVC % pred90±14 (62–112)95±1087±15
PEF % pred104±23 (62–146)117±2199±21
FEF25–75% % pred76±35 (15–145)86±2770±38
FEF50% % pred80±31 (23–117)89±2475±30
FEF75% % pred75±39 (12–108)87±2269±36

  • Data are presented as mean±sd with range in parenthesis

  • All differences were nonsignificant

  • BMI: body mass index

  • MRC: Medical Research Council (UK)

  • IC: inspiratory capacity

  • % pred: percentage of the predicted value

  • FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second

  • FVC: forced vital capacity

  • PEF: peak expiratory flow

  • FEF25–75%: forced mid-expiratory flow

  • FEF50%: forced expiratory flow when 50% of FVC has been exhaled

  • FEF75%: forced expiratory flow when 75% of FVC has been exhaled