title: Exhaled nitric oxide and atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fractional exhaled nitric oxide concentration (FENO) measurement has been proposed to be an important adjunct in the diagnosis and management of asthma, pulmonary hypertension and cystic fibrosis. But do we understand how other diseases influence the FENO values? In particular, atherosclerosis is one of the pathological conditions, in which nitric oxide (NO) production is inhibited and its degradation enhanced. Therefore, hypothesis of the current study was that FENO is inversely associated with risk markers of atherosclerosis and with diseases leading secondarily to the progression of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A long-term FENO value (median of biweekly measurements over a 24-week period) of 53 patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was compared with the results of clinical and biochemical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fractional exhaled NO was inversely associated with the plasma concentration of triglycerides (P = 0·01) and with the blood concentration of glycated haemoglobin A1c (P = 0·03). It also tended to be inversely associated with the plasma glucose concentration (P = 0·10). However, there were no statistically significant associations with inflammatory or other biochemical markers, health status, lifestyle or other personal determinants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In accordance with the hypothesis, FENO is inversely associated with some of risk markers of atherosclerosis in patients with stable IHD (triglycerides and haemoglobin A1c, a marker of hyperglycaemic metabolism). A potential explanation is that, at hyperglycaemia and with higher triglyceride concentrations, atherosclerosis leads to endothelial dysfunction and, subsequently, to decreased production and increased degradation of NO.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Kymenlaakso Hospital Services, Kotka, Finland. iiris.salonen@carea.fi
authors.forename: Iiris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Salonen
authors.forename: Kati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huttunen
authors.forename: Maija-Riitta
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hirvonen
authors.forename: Juhani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dufva
authors.forename: Kaj
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Groundstroem
authors.forename: Hilkka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dufva
authors.forename: Raimo O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Salonen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D045853:Exhalation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009569:Nitric Oxide