title: The association between fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and cat dander in asthmatic children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our study was to assess risk factors of increased FeNO in asthmatic children with no cat at home.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. We evaluated data from medical documentation of children with asthma: FeNO results, allergen sensitization, seasonal allergen exposure, FEV(1), allergic rhinitis (AR) diagnosis and cat presence at home. We assessed asthma severity using mean doses of inhaled glucocorticosteroids and a management approach based on control according to the newest guidelines of Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) throughout the last three months before the measurement of FeNO and spirometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  316 patients (age 6-18) completed the study. Sensitization to cat dander was associated with the highest median value of FeNO concentration compared to other allergens in our patients (28,4ppb) and co-existing sensitization did not affect FeNO level. Median levels of FeNO increased linearly with patient's age. In asthmatics with AR, the levels of FeNO were increased significantly compared to asthmatics without AR (20.8 vs. 16.3, respectively). We showed that in patients without AR, sensitization to cat allergen was associated with more severe asthma in comparison to other perennial allergy (step 4 vs. other steps according to GINA treatment steps). The above relation was not observed in patients with AR. We did not observe correlation between allergy profile and FEV(1) among patients in neither subgroup nor in general population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We revealed that sensitization to cat dander was associated with the highest increase of FeNO concentration compared to other allergens in patients not having any cat at home ever. We also observed that in patients without allergic rhinitis, sensitization to cat allergen, compared to other perennial allergy, was associated with more severe asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Allergy, Medical University of Lodz, N. Copernicus Hospital, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grzelewski
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Majak
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jerzyńska
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cichalewski
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krakowiak
authors.forename: Włodzimierz
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stelmach
authors.forename: Rafał
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stelmach
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janas
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grzelewska
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stelmach
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002415:Cats / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D057805:Pets / Q000276:immunology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D009569:Nitric Oxide