Table 1 Demographic data and laboratory data of the studied groups (Allergic march, Cough variant asthma (CVA) and control)

Age (years)

9.30 ± 2.75

8.58 ± 2.66

9.53 ± 2.84

t = 0.416

t = 1.716

t = 0.416

Mean ± SD

P = 0.679

P = 0.089

P = 0.679

Gender

 Male

41(68.3%)

45(70.3%)

23 (59%)

χ² = 0.906

χ² = 1.39

χ² = 0.057

 Female

19(31.7%)

19(29.7%)

16 (41%)

P = 0.341

P = 0.239

P = 0.811

Nutritional history

 Breast feeding

41(68.3%)

24(37.5%)

18(46.2%)

χ² = 4.91

P = 0.086

χ² = 0.866

P = 0.649

χ² = 11.8

P = 0.003*

 Artificial feeding

9(15.0%)

19(29.7%)

9(23.1%)

 Mixed

10(16.7%)

21(32.8%)

12(30.8%)

Paternal smoking

 Positive

28(46.7%)

34(53.1%)

12(30.8%)

χ² = 2.48

χ² = 4.90

χ² = 0.517

 Negative

32(53.3%)

30(46.9%)

27(69.2%)

P = 0.115

P = 0.027*

P = 0.472

Exposure to indoor trigger

 Positive

27(45.0%)

34(53.1%)

10(25.6%)

χ² = 3.78

χ² = 7.48

χ² = 0.82

 Negative

33(55.0%)

30(46.9%)

29(74.4%)

P = 0.052

P = 0.006*

P = 0.37

Exposure to outdoor trigger

 Positive

58(96.7%)

52 (81.2)

16(41%)

χ² = 38.76

χ² = 17.48

χ² = 7.35

 Negative

2(3.3%)

12(18.8%)

23(59%)

P ≤ 0.001*

P ≤ .001*

P = 0.007*

Family history

–

–

 Positive

13(21.7%)

9 (14.1%)

0 (0%)

χ² = 1.23

 Negative

47(78.3%)

55(85.9%)

39 (100%

P = 0.268

Serum eosinophilic percentage

 Median (min–max)

5.54 (0.53–13.18)

3.31 (0.01–19.24)

1.87 (0.15–10.61)

Z = 6.37

P ≤ 0.001**

Z = 3.01

p = 0.003*

Z = 3.49

P ≤ 0.001**

Total IgE (IU/ml)

 Median (min–max)

129.00 (3.30–532.00)

94.6 (1.36–688)

9.30 (2.88–45.6)

Z = 5.32

P ≤ 0.001**

Z = 3.93

p ≤ 0.001**

Z = 0.056

P = 0.955

Serum INF-B

 Median (min–max)

19.75 (5.70–64.00)

19.95 (1.76–109)

30.7 (8.8–434)

Z = 2.41

P = 0.016*

Z = 4.02

p ≤ 0.001**

Z = 1.18

P = 0.237