Nitric oxide in bronchial asthma

ABSTRACT

Nitric oxide "NO" is increased in patient with asthma and it may reflect degree of air way inflammation. We examined the levels of air way "NO" in induced sputum and in mixed expired air in asthmatics in comparison to normal control subjects. Our study included 20 asthmatic patients and 12 control normal subjects. "NO" concentration in mixed expired air of asthmatics [mean 14.500 +/- 4.13 ppb] was significantly higher [p<0.001] than that of normal subjects [8.75 +/- 2.17 ppb]. "NO" derivative in the sputum of asthmatic patients [mean 977.25 +/- 202.59 ppb] was statistically [p<0.001] higher than that of control subjects [509.16 +/- 195.16 ppb]. There is significant +ve correlation between suptum and exhaled "NO" in asthmatics [p< 0.05]. We could not get significant correlation between severity of asthma as indicated by FEV1 and between each of "NO" in exhaled air or in the sputum of asthmatics. Those finding denoted that "NO" estimation in asthmatics air ways whether in the sputum or exhaled air could serve as a vailable parameter to assess air way inflammation in patients with asthma. Further studies are suggested to clarify its relation to severity of asthma and treatment response