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if yes who?
if yes who?
if yes who?
Any first-degree relative (parent or sibling) who was stated to have at least one of the
conditions listed was counted as a positive and any more distant relative or no family member
having any of the conditions listed were counted as a negative. Of the 39 children, 18 had a
positive family history of atopy compared to 2l that did not and there were no differences
seen in the direct exhaled NO levels at 40.6ppb (SD 26.7) versus 44.0ppb (SD 38.9), or in the
t-piece levels 25.3ppb (SD 21.4) versus 27.0ppb (SD 29.0).
The possibility of smoking causing airway inflammation and affecting the results of exhaled
NO was explored. The question sent home to the parents was: "Does anyone in the family
smoke? Yes or No" When the questionnaires were checked through with the children it was
determined whether the family smoker lived in the household. There were no differences seen
in the 19 children who lived with one smoker in the household compared to the 20 children
from non-smoking households at 37.lppb (SD17.4) versus 49.0ppb (SD 45.8) via direct and
22.2ppb (SD 20.4) versus 31.1ppb (SD 30.3) via the t-piece system. The children were not
asked about active smoking.
The possibility of a reaction to pet dander causing airway inflammation and affecting the
results of exhaled NO was explored. The question sent home to the parents was: "Do you
have any pets? If yes please name type". When the questionnaires were checked through with
the children the type of pet was checked again. Cats, dogs and any furry animal living within
the house were counted as positive, no matter the number involved. Fish and birds were
counted as a negative, as were not having pets. There were no differences in the peak exhaled
NO between those thirteen children who had a household furry pet (or pets) and those 26 that
did not at 39.3ppb (SD 29.2) versus 43.9ppb (SD 35.7) via direct and 23.5ppb (SD 23.2)
versus 27.6ppb (SD 26.7) via the t-piece system. There was no attempt made to look at
possible dose-response for any of these questionnaire replies.
8.4
Does anyone else in the family have any of the following:
Asthma
E*zema
Allergic Rhinitis
YesA.[o
YesA.[o
Yes/I.[o
Discussion: exhaled nitric oxide results in healthy children
This study confirmed that it was possible to measure exhaled NO levels in children aged
between nine and eleven years by using these two different techniques. As in the adult studies
there was a consistent difference between the NO levels obtained with the direct and the t-
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