Bronchial diffusing capacity of nitric oxide is increased in patients with allergic rhinitis.
BACKGROUND
Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) measurement at multiple exhalation flow rates allows calculation of flow-independent NO parameters: alveolar NO concentration, bronchial NO flux, bronchial diffusing capacity of NO and bronchial wall NO concentration.


METHODS
In the present study, we measured the flow-independent NO parameters and inflammatory markers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and in serum in 14 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (AR) without asthma, and in 14 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers.


RESULTS
At symptomatic stage before the treatment, patients with AR had higher bronchial wall diffusing capacity of NO than healthy volunteers (p = 0.024), but there were no differences in bronchial wall NO concentration or alveolar NO concentration. Patients with AR had also increased 8-isoprostane levels in the EBC (p = 0.040), and increased serum levels of IgE (p = 0.002) and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP; p = 0.027). Two-week treatment with nasal glucocorticoid mometasone decreased symptom scores and serum ECP levels but had no effect on NO parameters or 8-isoprostane levels in EBC.


CONCLUSIONS
Noninvasive markers of airway inflammation showed subclinical lower airway inflammation in patients with AR without asthma, but short-term treatment with nasal glucocorticoids did not affect most of the markers of lower airway inflammation.
Makinen
Tarja
T
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Tampere, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
Lehtimäki
Lauri
L
Kinnunen
Hannele
H
Nieminen
Riina
R
Kankaanranta
Hannu
H
Moilanen
Eeva
E
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D001944:Breath Tests; D001980:Bronchi / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D000068656:Mometasone Furoate; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D011244:Pregnadienediols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011244:Pregnadienediols; D000068656:Mometasone Furoate; C075750:8-epi-prostaglandin F2alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D015237:Dinoprost; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein