Abdullah A. Abba

Exhaled nitric oxide in diagnosis and management of respiratory diseases

The analysis of biomarkers in exhaled breath constituents has recently become of great interest in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of many respiratory conditions. Of particular interest is the measurement of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) in breath. Its measurement is noninvasive, easy and reproducible. The technique has recently been standardized by both American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society. The availability of cheap, portable and reliable equipment has made the assay possible in clinics by general physicians and, in the near future, at home by patients. The concentration of exhaled nitric oxide is markedly elevated in bronchial asthma and is positively related to the degree of esinophilic inflammation. Its measurement can be used in the diagnosis of bronchial asthma and titration of dose of steroids as well as to identify steroid responsive patients in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In primary ciliary dyskinesia, nasal NO is diagnostically low and of considerable value in diagnosis. Among lung transplant recipients, FENO can be of great value in the early detection of infection, bronchioloitis obliterans syndrome and rejection. This review discusses the biology, factors affecting measurement, and clinical application of FENO in the diagnosis and management of respiratory diseases.

Exhaled nitric oxide in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is elevated in nonsmoking subjects with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and compare it with the results in patients with asthma and a control population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pulmonology Clinic at a University Hospital. Twenty five control subjects, 25 steroid naïve asthmatics and 14 COPD patients were studied. All the patients were nonsmokers and stable at the time of the study. All subjects completed a questionnaire and underwent spirometry. Exhaled nitric oxide was measured online by chemiluminescence, using single-breath technique. RESULTS: All the study subjects were males. Subjects with stable COPD had significantly higher values of FENO than controls (56.54±28.01 vs 22.00±6.69; P=0.0001) but lower than the subjects with asthma (56.54±28.01 vs 84.78±39.32 P=0.0285).The FENO values in COPD subjects were inversely related to the FEV1/FVC ratio. There was a significant overlap between the FENO values in COPD and the control subjects. CONCLUSION: There is a significant elevation in FENO in patients with stable COPD, but the elevation is less than in asthmatic subjects. Its value in clinical practice may be limited by the significant overlap with control subjects.