HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: thx.2004.033852v1 60/11/967    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wilsher, M L Articles by Wells, A U Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wilsher, M L Articles by Wells, A U

Exhaled nitric oxide in sarcoidosis

¹ Green Lane Respiratory Services, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand
² Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr M L Wilsher
Green Lane Respiratory Services, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland 1, New Zealand; mwilsher{at}adhb.govt.nz

Background: Increased production of nitric oxide (NO) by the lower respiratory tract is viewed as a marker of airway inflammation in asthma and bronchiectasis. NO is a potentially important immune modulator, inhibiting the release of several key pro-inflammatory cytokines. As sarcoidosis is characterised by granulomatous airway inflammation, we hypothesised that exhaled NO levels might be raised in sarcoidosis and correlate with the morphological extent and functional severity of disease.

Methods: Fifty two patients with sarcoidosis (29 men) of mean age 42 years underwent thin section computed tomography (CT), pulmonary function tests, and measurement of exhaled NO.

Results: Exhaled NO levels (median 6.8 ppb, range 2.4–21.8) did not differ significantly from values in 44 control subjects, and were not related to the extent of individual CT abnormalities or the level of pulmonary function impairment.

Conclusion: Exhaled NO levels are not increased in pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Abbreviations: eNO, exhaled nitric oxide; FEF_25–75, mean forced expiratory flow during middle half of FVC; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FVC, forced vital capacity, FRC, functional residual capacity; RV, residual volume, TLC, total lung capacity, TLCO, carbon monoxide lung transfer factor

Keywords: sarcoidosis; exhaled nitric oxide; computed tomography; pulmonary function tests

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Heron, J. C. Grutters, H. van Velzen-Blad, M. Veltkamp, A. M. E. Claessen, and J. M. M. van den Bosch Increased Expression of CD16, CD69, and Very Late Antigen-1 on Blood Monocytes in Active Sarcoidosis Chest, November 1, 2008; 134(5): 1001 - 1008. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]