Exhaled nitric oxide in sarcoidosis.
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.


CONCLUSIONS
Exhaled NO levels are not increased in pulmonary sarcoidosis.
Wilsher
M L
ML
Green Lane Respiratory Services, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland 1, New Zealand. mwilsher@adhb.govt.nz
Fergusson
W
W
Milne
D
D
Wells
A U
AU
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed
D009569:Nitric Oxide