Association between exhaled nitric oxide and systemic inflammatory markers.
BACKGROUND
Asthma is an inflammatory condition of the airways, and there is some evidence to suggest that it is associated with a systemic inflammatory response, as measured by C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen. Exhaled nitric oxide is a noninvasive measure of asthmatic airway inflammation.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if there is an association between exhaled nitric oxide and these systemic inflammatory markers.


METHODS
The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study is a birth cohort of approximately 1,000 individuals born between April 1, 1972, and March 31, 1973. At the age of 32 years, study members were assessed for diagnosis of asthma, atopy by skin prick testing, smoking, body mass index, exhaled nitric oxide, high-sensitivity serum CRP, and plasma fibrinogen level.


RESULTS
There was no significant association between exhaled nitric oxide and CRP (P = .99). There was a trend to an inverse association between exhaled nitric oxide and fibrinogen (P = .049), but this was not significant after adjusting for smoking and use of corticosteroids or after further adjustment for body mass index and atopy (P = .71).


CONCLUSIONS
In this population-based sample of young adults, there was no association between airway inflammation, as measured by exhaled nitric oxide, and systemic inflammation, as measured by either CRP or fibrinogen.
Sutherland
Tim J T
TJ
Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Taylor
D Robin
DR
Sears
Malcolm R
MR
Cowan
Jan O
JO
McLachlan
Christene R
CR
Filsell
Susan
S
Williamson
Avis
A
Greene
Justina M
JM
Poulton
Richie
R
Hancox
Robert J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein