Chest imaging characteristics, lung function, sputum bacteriology, sputum inflammatory biomarkers and cough sensitivity.

Numerical data were presented as mean ± standard deviation for normal distribution or otherwise median (interquartile range). Categorical data were expressed as number (percentage).Data in bold indicated the comparisons with statistical significance.* Other potentially pathogenic microorganisms included Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Escherichia colitis, Sphingomonas paucimobilis, Alcaligenes faecalis subsp faecalis, Psedumonas pseudoalcaligenes and Serratia marcescens.** Data were presented as geometric means.IL: interleukin; TNF: tumor necrosis factorChest imaging characteristics, lung function, sputum bacteriology, sputum inflammatory biomarkers and cough sensitivity.