Research Article

Herbal Medicine Cordyceps sinensis Improves Health-Related Quality of Life in Moderate-to-Severe Asthma

Table 3

Lung function scores and serum cytokines levels at baseline and immediately following the intervention period.

Control group
()
Treatment group
()
BaselinePostinterventionBaselinePostintervention

Lung function
 FEV1 predicted, %56.50 (33.40, 63.62)60.50 (36.25, 66.87)58.50 (40.75, 68.00)63.10 (43.70, 72.60)c2.4420.015
 PEFR, %48.05 (33.45, 71.27)50.50 (34.55, 64.85)58.30 (36.62, 65.65)59.09 (44.82, 67.70)c2.5250.012
 FEV1/FVC predicted, %57.54 (47.74, 71.29)56.68 (45.96, 75.33)54.01 (44.22, 63.00)57.36 (49.77, 67.67)bc2.1620.031
Serum biomarkers
 IgG (mg/mL)58.59 (31.45, 85.93)61.77 (30.59, 84.78)40.53 (24.99, 50.78)45.74 (38.43, 57.45)bc2.4590.014
 IgE (ng/mL)19.37 (15.75, 30.51)24.82 (19.84, 47.65)31.22 (16.44, 51.27)26.21 (22.63, 31.90)bd3.6550.000
 ICAM-1 (ng/mL)266.43 (209.99, 314.51)324.34 (257.65, 400.17)313.12 (255.55, 363.66)291.35 (233.08, 311.71)ad4.4620.000
 IL-4 (pg/mL)60.67 (32.92, 79.50)63.00 (35.75, 75.15)65.60 (46.67, 77.00)47.33 (30.67, 64.67)bc2.5290.011
 IFN-γ (pg/mL)8.45 (7.25, 9.15)8.40 (5.85, 9.35)9.00 (6.20, 12.00)8.50 (7.20, 11.80)1.1260.260
 MMP-9 (ng/mL)537.50 (256.43, 626.34)644.64 (379.24, 626.34)719.64 (504.46, 1238.88)410.63 (272.62, 657.14)bd5.0920.000

Data are medium (IQR). and Postinterventions. Baseline; and CS group versus control group.
FEV1 (%): forced expiratory volume in one second (percentage of predicted).
PEF (%): mean peak expiratory flow (% predicted).
FVC: forced vital capacity.