Study subjects' demographic and clinical characteristics
| Controlled asthma | Severe asthma | Controlled versus severe asthma | |
| Subjects n | 158 | 163 | |
| Age yr | 40.9±14.3 | 42.4±12.1 | ns |
| Sex ratio female:male | 1.6:1 | 4.4:1 | p<0.001 |
| Height cm | |||
| Male | 175.3±8.4 | 172.2±7.6 | ns |
| Female | 161.7±8.1 | 161.7±7.4 | ns |
| Weight kg | |||
| Male | 78.6±14.9 | 80.4±16.3 | ns |
| Female | 66.5±11.4 | 70.9±15.5 | p<0.05 |
| BMI kg·m−2 | |||
| Male | 26.3±6.4 | 26.5±4.2 | ns |
| Female | 25.6±4.9 | 27.2±6.0 | p<0.05 |
| Systolic BP mmHg | |||
| Male | 127.0±24.6 | 131.4±11.9 | p<0.01 |
| Female | 123.1±20.1 | 130.2±19.7 | p<0.01 |
| Diastolic BP mmHg | |||
| Male | 79.6±10.7 | 83.1±7.0 | p<0.001 |
| Female | 76.8±10.8 | 82.0±12.1 | p<0.001 |
| Heart frequency beats·min−1 | |||
| Male | 67.7±10.8 | 82.3±19.3 | p<0.001 |
| Female | 73.9±9.2 | 82.7±14.6 | p<0.001 |
| Respiratory rate per min | |||
| Male | 15.4±3.6 | 16.7±3.5 | ns |
| Female | 16.9±4.2 | 18.1±4.5 | ns |
| p<0.01¶ | |||
| Dose of inhaled steroid# | 666±285 | 1676±667 | p<0.001 |
All data are expressed as mean±sd unless otherwise indicated
BMI: body mass index
BP; blood pressure
#: steroid expressed as beclomethasone equivalents
¶: for males and females combined