Table 3: Baseline Characteristics of the Cystic Fibrosis Patients Included

N, n* Age (y) Male (%) P ae.§ Pos (%) FEV1(% pred) FVC (% pred) MEF25-75(% pred) Oxygen- Saturation (%) Weight (kg) BMI (kg/m2) PEF *** (l/min) 6MWT **** (m)
Israel 172, 97 16.5 (2-46) 48 69 63 (15-122) 82 (15-152) 31 (4-135) 97 (78-99) 47 (13-82) 18 (13-27) 390 (210-500) 400 (120-590)
Data missing** (%; n/N) 0 0 0 24 % (42/172) 24 % (42/172) 24 % (42/172) 17% (29/172) 24 % (41/172) 33 % (57/172) 4 % (1/23) 59 % (30/51)
Germany/ Switzerland 68, 45 14.0 (3-33) 60 60 63 (27-110) 73.6 (4-106) 30.5 (12-49) Not reported 41.3 (14-78) Not reported Not reported Not reported
Data missing** (%; n/N) 4 % (3/68) 0 4 % (3/68) 54 % (37/68) 82 % (56/68) 94 % (64/68) 10 % (7/68)
Comparison of  missing data from sites Israel and Germany/Switzerland# ns ns <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001 nd 0.018 nd nd nd

FEV1: Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second; FVC: forced expiratory vital capacity, MEF25-75: Middle Expiratory Flow between 25% and 75% of FVC, BMI: Body Mass Index, PEF: Peak Expiratory Flow rate, 6MWT: 6-minute walk test.
* N indicates the number of stays included and n the number of subjects. Of the 97 patients included in the Israel program, 38 participated several times (14 patients 2 times, 12 patients 3 times, 11 patients 4 times and 1 patient 5 times). Of the 45 patients included in the German speaking site program, 12 participated several times (8 patients 2 times, 1 patient each 3, 4, 5, and 7 times).
§ P. aeruginosa status at start of a stay.
** Given is the percentage of measurements expected (no correction is made for lung function measurements in children of young age) and in brackets the number of missing information on stays in relation to the total number of stays included.
*** obtained in season 2001/2002 in total of 23 subjects.
**** obtained in seasons 2001/2002, 2003/2004, in total of 51 subjects.
# Frequencies were compared by Fisher´s exact test.
Data are median (min-max).