Total and differential sputum cell counts in healthy subjects, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma
| Healthy subjects | COPD | Asthma | |
| Subjects n | 17 | 15 | 17 |
| Squamous cells % | 8 (0–32) | 12 (2–50) | 14 (2–39) |
| Total nonsquamous 106·g−1 | 1.09 (0.17–4.42) | 1.27 (0.25–15.6) | 1.25 (0.17–6.44) |
| Macrophages % | 49.7 (14.6–84.8) | 21.2 (2–54.7)** | 45 (10–76)## |
| Macrophages 103·g−1 | 516 (77–2238) | 201 (11–4018) | 342 (33–2237) |
| Lymphocytes % | 1 (0–5) | 0.6 (0–7.3) | 1 (0–4.8) |
| Lymphocytes 103·g−1 | 9 (0–150) | 7 (0–100) | 13 (0–140) |
| Neutrophils % | 40.2 (0–79) | 50 (10.7–98) | 24 (4–63.6)## |
| Neutrophils 103·g−1 | 235 (0–2890) | 839 (100–12823) | 374 (14–2945) |
| Eosinophils % | 0 (0–2.1) | 1.8 (0–46.8)* | 7.8 (0–69.4)*** |
| Eosinophils 103·g−1 | 0 (0–84) | 47 (0–1435)* | 165 (0–4469)** |
| Epithelial cells % | 5.4 (0–52.8) | 3.6 (0–26) | 9.2 (1.2–29.5) |
| Epithelial cells 103·g−1 | 41 (0–413) | 34 (0–2548) | 78 (25–670)# |
Data are presented as median (range). Squamous cells are shown as a percentage of total cells. Other cells are shown as a percentage of total inflammatory (nonsquamous) cells or per weight of sputum
*: p<0.05
**: p<0.01
***: p<0.001 versus healthy subjects
#: p<0.05
##: p<0.01 versus COPD