| Log of variables | Univariate regression | Multivariate regression | ||
| p-value | OR (95% CI) | p-value | OR (95% CI) | |
| SAE-IgE | 0.048 | 1.47 (1.01–2.16) | ns | |
| HDM-IgE | <0.001 | 1.71 (1.44–2.03) | 0.002 | 1.40 (1.14–1.72) |
| Cat-IgE | <0.001 | 1.53 (1.25–1.87) | ns | |
| Mould-IgE | 0.040 | 1.21 (1.01–1.45) | ns | |
| Total IgE | 0.001 | 1.87 (1.30–2.70) | ns | |
| Atopic family history# | <0.001 | 4.47 (2.13–9.38) | 0.002 | 3.71 (1.61–8.55) |
| Eczema# | 0.059 | 1.70 (0.98–2.94) | ns | |
| Rhinoconjunctivitis# | <0.001 | 2.88 (1.85–4.49) | 0.011 | 1.98 (1.17–3.36) |
| FEV1/FVC# | 0.004 | 0.96 (0.94–0.99) | ns | |
| BHR dose slope# | <0.001 | 4.46 (2.91–6.83) | <0.001 | 3.21 (1.98–5.20) |
| Eosinophils | <0.001 | 4.58 (2.24–9.37) | ns | |
| Neutrophils | 0.045 | 0.36 (0.13–0.98) | ns | |
| Eosinophil protein X | <0.001 | 6.37 (2.84–14.28) | 0.002 | 4.65 (1.78–12.11) |
| SEB induced IL-5 | 0.033 | 1.98 (1.06–3.71) | ns | |
| SEB induced IL-10 | 0.011 | 2.56 (1.24–5.28) | 0.006 | 3.43 (1.42–8.30) |
| SEB induced IL-13 | 0.011 | 3.08 (1.29–7.34) | ns | |
Univariate regression analysis utilised measures of total and specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E (house dust mite (HDM), rye, cat, couch grass and mould), sex, body mass index, presence of eczema and/or rhinoconjunctivitis, lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) dose slope), blood eosinophil and neutrophil numbers, urinary eosinophil protein X, prostaglandin F2a, soluble CD14 and responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) which elicited moderate to high level cytokine production (interleukin (IL)-5, IL-10, IL-13 and interferon-γ) in all members of the cohort with available data. Only significant variables are shown and included in multivariate regression; the sample comprised 94 asthmatics and 547 nonasthmatics. SAE: Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin; ns: not significant. #: variable not log10-transformed.