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Table 2 Suspected etiology of masked eosinophilia in those patients with two or more sputum cell counts (n = 2967)

From: Underestimation of airway luminal eosinophilia by quantitative sputum cytometry

Criteria for assessing eosinophilic inflammation

1.2%¥

2.3%ǁ

Treatment of neutrophilia and decrease in corticosteroid dose

9.2%

8.7%

Treatment of neutrophilia

19.1%

28.8%

Decrease in corticosteroid dose

26.5%

28.9%

Disease flare (not attributed to neutrophilia and/or decrease in corticosteroid dose)

57.8%

60.5%

  1. ¥Group defined as eosinophils ≥ 1.2% or any FEG
  2. ǁGroup defined as eosinophils ≥ 2.3% or moderate/many FEG