Changes of Proteases, Antiproteases, and Pathogens in Cystic Fibrosis Patients’ Upper and Lower Airways after IV-Antibiotic Therapy

Table 4

Changes of protein concentrations and cytology before and after IV-AB treatment and comparison to findings in healthy controls.

Analyte (unit)	Concentrations
	Median			Range			P
	Controls	CF prior to therapy	CF after; therapy	Controls	CF prior to therapy	CF after; therapy
NL (UAW)
Total protein (mg/mL)	0.26	0.38	0.32	0.14–0.51	0.12–0.61	0.08–0.69	0.734^*; 0.073°
TCC (TCC/μL)	19	36	22	2–95	5–433	3–259	0.178^*; 0.078°
PMN (%)	78.5	69	88	42–100	0–90	45–100	0.011^*; 0.044°
MN (%)	21	31	12	0–58	10–100	0–55	0.012^*; 0.038°
Sputum (LAW)
Total protein (mg/mL)		6.5	3.8		3.0–15.9	1.4–9.1	0.008^*
TCC (TCC/μL)		3452	1272		400–21234	408–6788	0.005^*
PMN (%)		84	88		26–95	39–96	0.636^*
MN (%)		16	12		6–74	4–61	0.636^*

^*P value between CF prior to and after therapy; °P value between CF prior to therapy and healthy controls in UAW.