Patient characteristics
Healthy controls (n = 53) Asthmatic patients (n = 140)
P value
Gender (F/M) 31/22 58/82 ns
Age (y) mean ± SD 5.0 ± 0.8 5.3 ± 0.7 ns
Wheezer (yes), n (%) 0 (0%) 140 (100%) <.0001
Atopic diseases (yes), n (%)
Allergic rhinitis, n (%) 0 (0%) 89 (64%) <.0001
Atopic dermatitis, n (%) 0 (0%) 73 (52%) <.0001
Adverse food reaction, n (%) 0 (0%) 44 (31%) <.0001
Asthma control, n (%) Controlled Partly controlled Uncontrolled – – – 74 (53%) 50 (36%) 16 (11%) – – –
Vigorous physical activity (times per week), n (%) Never or occasionally Once/twice Three times or more 13 (25%) 10 (19%) 30 (57%) 42 (30%) 24 (17%) 75 (53%) ns ns ns
TV attendance (hours per day), n (%) ≤ 1 h 1-3 h ≥ 3 h 25 (47%) 22 (42%) 6 (11%) 36 (26%) 82 (59%) 22 (16%) <.005 <.05 ns