title: Longitudinal monitoring of pediatric cystic fibrosis lung disease using nitrite in exhaled breath condensate.
abstract: Cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease is characterized by airway inflammation and airway infection. Nitrites in exhaled breath condensate (EBC-NO(2)(-)) have been shown to be increased in children and adults with CF compared to healthy controls suggesting its use as a measure of airway inflammation. This longitudinal study aimed to evaluate if repeated measurements of EBC-NO(2)(-) are helpful in monitoring CF lung disease activity in children. Thirty-two children with mild CF lung disease (age 10.6 +/- 3.3 years) were recruited in two study centers. Follow-up visits occurred every 3 months over a period of 1 year with a total of five visits. Each visit included a clinical assessment incorporating a modified Shwachman-Kulczycki (SK) score, spirometry, an oropharyngeal swab, or sputum sample for bacterial analysis and an EBC sample analyzed for NO(2)(-) using a spectrophotometric assay. Furthermore at the first and the last visit a chest radiograph was done and scored (Chrispin-Norman (CN) score). There was no correlation of EBC-NO(2)(-) and parameters of spirometry, SK-score, or CN-score. Furthermore, increased EBC-NO(2)(-) levels did not predict subsequent pulmonary exacerbations. We conclude that repeated measurements of EBC-NO(2)(-) are not helpful in the longitudinal monitoring of mild CF lung disease in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria. fritz.hborak@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Horak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moeller
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Straub
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Höller
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Helbich
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Eichler
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wildhaber
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D045853:Exhalation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide