Table 2 Baseline and Week-4 values of inflammatory markers, anti-inflammatory proteins, lung function, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D

TNF-α, (ng/ml⁻¹)

Baseline

73.25 ± 12.40

75.40 ± 15.05

73.99 ± 13.52

74.10 ± 10.67

Week 4

55.05 ± 11.41^a

66.80 ± 16.66^b

67.70 ± 11.18^b

74.93 ± 9.49^b

P^¥

0.001*

0.009*

0.020*

0.394

IL-6, (pg/ml⁻¹)

Baseline

5.87 ± 1.61

6.30 ± 2.02

5.95 ± 2.11

6.16 ± 1.39

Week 4

4.98 ± 1.37

5.93 ± 1.67

5.70 ± 1.98

6.31 ± 1.37

P

0.004*

0.039*

0.049*

0.097

CC16, (ng/ml⁻¹)

Baseline

7.19 ± 1.28

7.34 ± 1.07

7.24 ± 1.81

7.25 ± 1.05

Week 4

6.42 ± 1.06

7.11 ± 1.02

6.87 ± 1.08

7.34 ± 0.97

P

0.001*

0.005*

0.025*

0.688

SP-D, (ng/ml⁻¹)

Baseline

69.80 ± 13.70

71.83 ± 12.99

70.75 ± 10.43

71.20 ± 11.56

Week 4

62.06 ± 9.41

69.50 ± 11.10

68.40 ± 8.39

72.30 ± 11.20

P

0.011*

0.085

0.084

0.240

CC16/SP-D

Baseline

0.104 ± 0.014

0.102 ± 0.010

0.101 ± 0.005

0.101 ± 0.009

Week 4

0.104 ± 0.107

0.102 ± 0.008

0.099 ± 0.005

0.102 ± 0.009

P

0.817

0.810

0.393

0.903

FEV₁, %

Baseline

87.29 ± 7.51

88.30 ± 10.54

87.55 ± 8.48

86.70 ± 11.14

Week 4

91.70 ± 5.86

91.80 ± 8.23

89.21 ± 7.85

86.44 ± 11.30

P

0.001*

0.021*

0.121

0.534

FVC, %

Baseline

94.39 ± 7.41

94.81 ± 12.69

92.85 ± 6.93

93.15 ± 10.10

Week 4

97.97 ± 6.94

97.65 ± 9.51

93.95 ± 7.99

92.55 ± 10.73

P

0.002*

0.035*

0.313

0.133

FEV₁/FVC, %

Baseline

92.45 ± 2.59

93.42 ± 3.97

94.20 ± 4.08

92.89 ± 3.59

Week 4

93.78 ± 3.71

94.17 ± 3.99

95.06 ± 4.11

93.31 ± 4.22

P

0.153

0.397

0.643

0.478

1,25(OH)₂D, (ng/ml⁻¹)

Baseline

23.90 ± 5.72

23.38 ± 6.65

24.51 ± 7.82

24.73 ± 7.60

Week 4

27.48 ± 6.85

24.15 ± 5.51

27.55 ± 8.05

24.64 ± 7.18

P

0.002*

0.237

0.001*

0.924