Results of the investigations in young children with severe wheeze(divided according to age group)
| Group | p-value | |||
| <18 months | 18–36 months | >36 months | ||
| Subjects n | 19 | 13 | 15 | |
| On inhaled steroids | 7/19 (37) | 10/13 (77) | 11/15 (73) | <0.05 group 1 versus 2 and 3 |
| On oral steroids | 4/19 (21) | 4/13 (31) | 3/15 (20) | ns |
| Total IgE IU | 14 (1–64) | 19 (3–635) | 154 (16–2605) | <0.01 group 3 versus 1 and 2 |
| IgE RAST ≥1 positive | 5/18 (28) | 4/13 (31) | 9/15 (60) | ns |
| CT scan abnormality | 6/11 (55) | 2/9 (22) | 7/11 (63) | ns |
| Abnormal pH study | 7/14 (50) | 8/10 (80) | 10/11 (91) | <0.05 group 1 versus 2 and 3 |
| Structural abnormality on FOB | 10/19 (53) | 1/13 (8) | 2/15 (13) | <0.01 group 1 versus 2 and 3 |
| Positive bacterial growth on BAL | 9/16 (56) | 5/13 (38) | 5/15 (33) | ns |
| Good quality EB | 15/18 (83) | 10/13 (77) | 11/15 (73) | ns |
| EB RBM thickened score >1 | 0/14 (0) | 1/10 (10) | 9/11 (82) | <0.01 group 3 versus 1 and 2 |
| EB eosinophilia score >0 | 5/15 (33) | 4/10 (40) | 7/11 (64) | ns |
| Abnormal IgG, IgA, IgM | 2/14 (14) | 0/12 (0) | 3/15 (20) | ns |
Data are presented as n/n (%). Ig: immunoglobulin; RAST: radioallergosorbent test; CT: computed tomography; FOB: fibreoptic bronchoscopy; BAL: bronchoalveolar lavage; EB: endobronchial biopsy; ns: nonsignificant.