Exhaled nitric oxide concentration is affected by age, height, and race in healthy 9- to 12-year-old children.
BACKGROUND
The fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (Feno) is a useful indicator of airway inflammation in children and adults with asthma.


METHODS
We determined the range of Feno concentrations and the factors affecting it in a large sample of healthy school children attending grades 4 through 6, in Windsor, ON, Canada.


RESULTS
Feno was measured in 657 children between 9.1 and 12.9 years of age. The range of Feno concentrations in healthy school children was 12.7 parts per billion (ppb) [95% confidence interval (CI), 11.8 to 13.7 ppb] in whites and 22.8 ppb [95% CI, 17.9 to 27.7 ppb] in Asian-Canadian children (p < 0.001). Feno values also appeared to be higher in African-Canadian children than in whites, although the CI was wide because of the small number of African-Canadian children sampled. Feno rose slightly but significantly with age (p = 0.007) and with height (p = 0.023). Body mass index and gender did not significantly alter the measured Feno. FVC had a nonsignificant effect on Feno. Participation in physical activity during the same day had a borderline-significant effect on measured Feno, but a reported history of a respiratory tract infection in the preceding 2 weeks did not.


CONCLUSIONS
Feno concentrations in healthy school-aged children appeared to be affected by race, and, to a lesser extent, by age and height. These factors should be taken into consideration when interpreting clinical results.
Kovesi
Thomas
T
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 401 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1H 8L1. kovesi@cheo.on.ca
Kulka
Ryan
R
Dales
Robert
R
D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People; D044383:Black People; D001827:Body Height; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D044465:White People
D009569:Nitric Oxide