Asthma characteristics comorbid conditions and inflammatory markers on the basis of severity
| Overall (n=1649) | Intermittent/mild persistent (n=375) | Moderate persistent (n=703) | Severe persistent (n=571) | P value | |
| Country | <0.001 | ||||
| Uganda, n(%) | 819 (49.7) | 231 (61.6) | 411 (58.5) | 177 (31.0) | |
| Kenya, n(%) | 424 (25.7) | 108 (28.8) | 159 (22.6) | 157 (27.5) | |
| Ethiopia, n(%) | 406 (24.6) | 36 (9.6) | 133 (18.9) | 237 (41.5) | |
| Adult onset asthma (onset ≥19 years), n (%) | 1034 (62.7) | 202 (53.9) | 433 (61.6) | 399 (69.9) | <0.001 |
| Age in years (median, IQR) | |||||
| Family history of asthma, n (%) | 861 (52.2) | 211 (56.3) | 366 (52.1) | 284 (49.7) | 0.131 |
| Smoking (current/former), n (%) | 111 (6.7) | 16 (4.3) | 37 (5.3) | 58 (10.2) | <0.001 |
| Biomass smoke, n (%) | 1205 (73.1) | 271 (72.3) | 527 (75.0) | 407 (71.3) | 0.324 |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | |||||
| HIV | 63 (3.8) | 13 (3.5) | 18 (2.6) | 32 (5.6) | 0.017 |
| Hypertension | 193 (11.7) | 34 (9.1) | 80 (11.4) | 79 (13.8) | 0.078 |
| Obesity | 316 (19.2) | 70 (18.7) | 138 (19.6) | 108 (18.9) | 0.945 |
| Tuberculosis | 19 (1.2) | 5 (1.3) | 3 (0.4) | 11 (1.9) | 0.032 |
| GERD | 288 (17.5) | 58 (15.5) | 143 (20.3) | 87 (15.2) | 0.030 |
| Rhinosinusitis | 370 (22.4) | 103 (27.5) | 174 (24.8) | 93 (16.3) | <0.001 |
| SPT, N | 1649 | 375 | 703 | 571 | |
| At least one positive SPT, % | 67.3 | 69.9 | 69.3 | 63.1 | 0.029 |
| 2–3 positive SPT, % | 40.7 | 45.3 | 43.1 | 34.7 | 0.002 |
| FeNO ppb, N | 1334 | 307 | 583 | 444 | |
| Median (IQR) | 25 (12–48) | 22 (9–40) | 22 (11–44) | 32 (16–57) | <0.001 |
| FeNO ≥35 ppb, % | 37.4 | 31.9 | 34.5 | 45.1 | <0.001 |
| AEC, N | 1511 | 356 | 649 | 506 | |
| Median (IQR) | 270 (140–510) | 240 (120–415) | 270 (140–510) | 305 (160–560) | 0.001 |
| AEC>300 cells/μL, % | 45.1 | 38.2 | 45.0 | 50.0 | 0.003 |
AEC, absolute eosinophil count; FENO, fractional exhaled nitric oxide; GERD, gastro-oesophageal disease; SPT, skin prick test.