[The measurement of exhaled nitric oxide, a new tool in the management of asthma?].
A GOOD DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR ASTHMA: Chronic airway inflammation, main feature of asthma, can be assessed by measuring the exhaled nitric oxide (NO) level. Measurement of NO is standardized, non-invasive and easy to use in both children and adults. Studies have shown that it is a good diagnostic test for asthma when NO is high. However, other conditions or pathologies must be searched for because they may influence the results. ITS PLACE IN TREATMENT: Although exhaled NO helps to characterise the patients with asthma, other studies are required to show that it can help to improve the follow-up of such patients. Nevertheless, this tool has not yet been validated in the daily treatment of asthma and further research is still ongoing.
Chiron
Raphaël
R
Service des maladies respiratoires, Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, 371 Avenue du Doyen Gaston Giraud, 34295 Montpellier Cedex 05, France. r-chiron@chu-montpellier.fr
Vachier
Isabelle
I
Godard
Philippe
P
Chanez
Pascal
P
D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000378:metabolism; D045853:Exhalation; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000378:metabolism
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide