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Figure 8.4a: The eftect of commencing inhaled corticosteroid therapy on peak exhaled NO levels
asthmatic children measured via the direct method
3s0
fl soo
CL
.s zso
o
B zoo
o z 150
E
fi roo
E
,i 50
0
Median = 124.5ppb
-
Pre Steroid NO
Post Steroid NO
E
Median = 48.6ppb
Figure 8.4b: The etfect of commencing inhaled corticosteroid therapy on peak exhaled NO levels in
asthmatic children measured via the t-piece sampling system
8.6
300
250
o
o.
o.
.c 200
o
g 150
o
zE
100
6
-c
x
ur 50
Discussion: exhaled nitric oxide in asthmatic children
Median = 41.3 ppb
-
Asthma is a chronic disease of airway inflammation that is treated with anti-inflammatory
drugs. However in the routine clinical setting we measure lung function rather than any
inflammatory parameters. The gold standard of assessment of airway inflammation is
bronchoscopy and bronchial biopsy as discussed in Chapter 1. Research then began to suggest
that NO could be measured in exhaled air and may be related to airway inflammation in adult
asthmatics (Alving, Weitzberg et al. L993; Kharitonov, Yates et al. 1994; Persson,
196