01 August 2005
Exhaled breath condensate as a method of sampling airway nitric oxide and othermarkers of inflammation.
Jia Liu, Paul ThomasMed Sci Monit 2005; 11(8): MT53-62 :: ID: 202430
Abstract
Most of the methods of investigating lung diseases have been invasive untilthe discovery that exhaled nitric oxide can be used as a surrogate marker of airway inflammation, particularlyin asthma. Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) is now established as a marker of airway inflammation. It has beenshown to correlate well with eosinophilic asthmatic airway inflammation, and to be able to predict declinein asthma control and airway function. Altered levels of NO are also associated with other inflammatorylung diseases. In addition, polymorphisms of the genes encoding the three nitric oxide synthases areassociated with phenotypic differences associated with lung diseases. Exhaled NO is, however, non-specific.It is therefore of importance that collecting exhaled breath condensate (EBC) has emerged as a potentialtool in the study of pulmonary diseases. The exhaled breath is collected in a cooling system which allowswater vapour to condense. The EBC contains a number of mediators relating to the NO pathway, includingnitrite as a metabolite of nitric oxide, nitrotyrosine, nitrosothiols plus small molecular mediatorsassociated with oxidative stress, including hydrogen ions, and hydrogen peroxide. In addition, reportsare emerging of the detection of larger molecules which not only include leukotrienes, prostaglandins,albumin and other proteins, such as cytokines, but also macromolecules, for example, DNA. EBC is becominga technique which will allow repeated non-invasive sampling from the respiratory tract thus assistingpulmonary research and possibly the monitoring of lung diseases.
Keywords: Biological Markers - analysis, Breath Tests - methods, Exhalation, Inflammation - metabolism, Nitric Oxide - analysis, Nitric Oxide - metabolism, Biological Markers - analysis, Breath Tests - methods, Exhalation, Inflammation - metabolism, Nitric Oxide - metabolism
Editorial
01 April 2024 : Editorial
Editorial: Forty Years of Waiting for Prevention and Cure of HIV Infection – Ongoing Challenges and Hopes for Vaccine Development and Overcoming Antiretroviral Drug ResistanceDOI: 10.12659/MSM.944600
Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e944600
In Press
06 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research
Comparison of Outcomes between Single-Level and Double-Level Corpectomy in Thoracolumbar Reconstruction: A ...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943797
21 Mar 2024 : Meta-Analysis
Economic Evaluation of COVID-19 Screening Tests and Surveillance Strategies in Low-Income, Middle-Income, a...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943863
10 Apr 2024 : Clinical Research
Predicting Acute Cardiovascular Complications in COVID-19: Insights from a Specialized Cardiac Referral Dep...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.942612
06 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research
Enhanced Surgical Outcomes of Popliteal Cyst Excision: A Retrospective Study Comparing Arthroscopic Debride...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.941102
Most Viewed Current Articles
17 Jan 2024 : Review article
Vaccination Guidelines for Pregnant Women: Addressing COVID-19 and the Omicron VariantDOI :10.12659/MSM.942799
Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e942799
14 Dec 2022 : Clinical Research
Prevalence and Variability of Allergen-Specific Immunoglobulin E in Patients with Elevated Tryptase LevelsDOI :10.12659/MSM.937990
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e937990
16 May 2023 : Clinical Research
Electrophysiological Testing for an Auditory Processing Disorder and Reading Performance in 54 School Stude...DOI :10.12659/MSM.940387
Med Sci Monit 2023; 29:e940387
01 Jan 2022 : Editorial
Editorial: Current Status of Oral Antiviral Drug Treatments for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Non-Hospitalized Pa...DOI :10.12659/MSM.935952
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e935952