Viral infection may induce the expression of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, resulting in increased NO formation that has an antiviral effect. NO may be produced by various cells of the upper and lower respiratory tract, and may be detected in the exhaled air. We have studied the levels of exhaled NO in 18 normal subjects during symptomatic upper respiratory tract infections and during recovery 3 w...

INTRODUCTION Numerous epidemiological animal model studies have been conducted in order to assess the health effects of man-made vitreous fibers. They have been shown to be responsible for producing lung fibrosis and lung and peritoneal cancer in animal models. A few large cohort studies were conducted in Europe and the US to assess the health effects of fiber glass in production workers and a ...

An increased concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in the exhaled air of asthmatic patients may reflect inflammation of the airways, and exhaled NO may, therefore, be useful in monitoring asthma control and the optimal use of anti-inflammatory treatment. We have studied the effect of reducing and then increasing the dose of inhaled steroid on exhaled NO, lung function and symptoms in 14 asthmatic ...

The field of noninvasive assessment of airway inflammation has developed rapidly since the discoveries in the late 1980s that nitric oxide (NO) is a central biological mediator and, in 1991, that exhaled breath contained NO (1). Accompanying this was the realization that asthma is an inflammatory airway syndrome, best treated by antiinflammatory agents. Subsequently, exhaled NO was found to be ...

Several studies have previously shown that exposure to indoor air microbes from moisture-damaged buildings can cause adverse health effects. Aspergillus fumigatus is one of the best-documented moulds causing health problems to those exposed. In this study, inhalation of a commercial A. fumigatus solution was assessed, to establish if it would have effects on fractional exhaled (FeNO) and nasal ...

Farmers and smokers are repeatedly exposed to airborne organic material. We hypothesised that farmers and smokers show altered airway responses to inhaled organic, pro-inflammatory agents. A total of 11 farmers, 12 smokers and 12 controls underwent lipopolysaccharide (LPS) bronchial challenge and spent 3 h in a pig barn. Lung function, exhaled nitric oxide and bronchial responsiveness were asse...

OBJECTIVE Air pollution can promote airway inflammation, posing significant health risks for children with chronic respiratory problems. However, it is unknown whether this process is reversible, so that limiting pollution will benefit these children. We measured the short-term response of allergic asthmatic children exposed to a real-life reduction in outdoor air pollution by using noninvasive...

Allergic occupational asthma is frequent in farming populations. As educational interventions can improve disease management, the short-term effect of an educational intervention in asthmatic farmers was evaluated on the basis of spirometric indices and exhaled nitric oxide fraction (F(eNO)). Farmers with occupational asthma (n = 81), mostly sensitised against cow dander and storage mites, part...

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), induced sputum and exhaled breath markers (exhaled nitric oxide and exhaled breath condensate) can each provide biological insights into the pathogenesis of respiratory disorders. Some of their biomarkers are also employed in the clinical management of patients with various respiratory diseases. In the clinical context, however, defining normal values and cut-off p...

Controlled studies have shown that monitoring of the exhaled nitric oxide fraction (F(eNO)) improves asthma management. However, the studies seldom consider the full range of patients seen in clinical practise. In the present study, the ability of F(eNO) to reflect asthma control over time is investigated in a regular clinical setting, and meaningful F(eNO) cut-off points and changes are identi...