WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? |
WHY MEASURE NITRIC OXIDE? |
An exhaled nitric oxide test is...
- FDA approved for adults and children as young as 4 years old
- Non-invasive
- Simple and comfortable
- Fast with immediate results
- Objective
- Reliable
|
-
Traditional spirometry measures lung capacity, not the underlying inflammation.
-
Airway inflammation is the main pathogenic factor in asthma.
-
Nitric oxide is produced when airways are inflamed.
-
Patients with asthma have increased nitric oxide levels in exhaled air compared to patients without asthma.
|
| |
|
Measuring Exhaled Nitric Oxide
A Tool in Diagnosing and Managing Asthma
Because asthma is a combination of bronchial hyper-responsiveness and inflammation of the airways, assessing both components is ideal for identifying patients who may be at risk for asthma. Commonly used tests (spirometry and challenge tests), although effective in reflecting airway hyper-responsiveness, do not evaluate inflammation. Other tests that measure inflammation are often difficult to perform, are invasive, or may have poor sensitivity and specificity to objectively measure inflammation.
Measuring exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is an exciting innovation that answers the need for practical, non-invasive tools for diagnosing asthma, especially in children. In numerous Research Studies, levels of eNO were significantly higher when measured in patients with asthma compared to patients without asthma. Consequently, an eNO test, in conjunction with other diagnostic methods, is currently thought to be a more reliable method to assist physicians in identifying, treating and managing patients with asthma.
To view in *pdf form click here
|
