Patient demographics
| Placebo | Fluticasone propionate | Fluticasone propionate + salmeterol | |||||||
| Baseline | 6 months | 30 months | Baseline | 6 months | 30 months | Baseline | 6 months | 30 months | |
| Subjects | 23 | 17 | 17 | 22 | 24 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 12 |
| Current smoking | 16 (69.57) | 10 (58.82) | 8 (47.06) | 13 (59.09) | 11 (45.83) | 9 (45.00) | 12 (66.67) | 11 (68.75) | 5 (41.67) |
| Male | 19 (82.61) | 15 (88.24) | 16 (94.12) | 19 (86.36) | 22 (91.67) | 17 (85.00) | 16 (88.89) | 15 (93.75) | 12 (100) |
| RIN | 3.35±1.32 | 3.95±1.6 | 5.23±1.75** | 3.35±1.42 | 3.57±1.37 | 5.12±1.7 | 3.1±1.45 | 3.16±0.96 | 4.45±0.77 |
| Age years | 59.22±8.21 | 59.06±7.9 | 61.24±6.6 | 60.55±7.37 | 62.71±7.02 | 61.2±7.24 | 61.06±8.56 | 61.13±8.23 | 60.67±8.87 |
| BMI kg·m2 | 24.16±3.76 | 23.78±3.61 | 23.47±3.59 | 26.07±4.34 | 25.96±4.75 | 25.91±4.01 | 25.39±3.53 | 25.51±3.6 | 25.98±3.39 |
| FEV1 % pred | 61.13±8.44 | 63.38±9.51 | 56.98±8.34 | 65.08±8.71 | 65.11±10.7 | 64±11.58 | 60.71±10.76 | 62.29±10.76 | 64.61±13.97 |
| RV % pred | 146.52±25.61 | 144.74±30.83 | 139.35±20.93 | 140.18±31.93 | 144.01±26.1 | 133.88±31.24 | 158±40.97 | 137.78±33.87 | 137.04±40.52 |
| RV/TLC % pred | 124.9±16.87 | 122.95±16.11 | 120.38±13.96 | 122.49±19.39 | 122.87±17.92 | 115.86±25.38 | 126.87±19.82 | 116.03±19.06 | 116.86±25.58 |
| SGRQ score | 31.28±17.86 | 29.85±21.53 | 33.4±20.07 | 31.71±10.78 | 29.28±16.72 | 28.46±15.12 | 25.75±13.85 | 26.17±13.98 | 24.09±13.91 |
| PC20 methacholine# mg·mL−1 | 0.64±2 | 1.39±2.43 | 0.06±2.38 | ||||||
Data are presented as n, n (%) or mean±sd. Differences in variables before and after treatment were analysed using a two-sided paired t-test. RIN: RNA integrity number; BMI: body mass index; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; RV: residual volume; TLC: total lung capacity; SGRQ: St George's Respiratory Questionnaire; PC20: provocative dose causing a 20% fall in FEV1. **: p<0.01 versus baseline. #: geometric mean±sd.