Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
05:31

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels

Published on: August 7, 2017

Maternal atopic disease modifies effects of prenatal risk factors on exhaled nitric oxide in infants

Urs Frey1, Claudia Kuehni, Hanna Roiha

  • 1Swiss Pediatric Respiratory Research Group, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland. urs.frey@insel.ch

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
|April 3, 2004
PubMed

In a prospective healthy birth cohort, we determined whether levels of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) in healthy unselected infants at the age of 1 month were associated with maternal atopic disease and prenatal and early postnatal environmental exposures. Tidal eNO was measured in 98 healthy, unsedated infants (35 from mothers with atopy) (mean age +/- SD, 36.0 +/- 6.2 days) and was compared with histories taken in standardized interviews. eNO was higher in males compared with females (17.7 vs. 14.6 ppb, p = 0.042) and infants exposed to postnatal maternal smoking (+4.4 ppb, p = 0.027), adjusting for weight and tidal breathing parameters. Prenatal tobacco exposure was associated with higher eNO (+12.0 ppb, p = 0.01) in infants of mothers with asthma and lower eNO (-5.7 ppb) in infants of mothers without asthma (p for interaction < 0.0001). Coffee consumption in pregnancy decreased eNO (-6.0 ppb, p = 0.008) only in children of mothers with atopy (p for interaction = 0.015). Paternal atopy had no influence. In the early phase of immunologic development, before the onset of infections and allergic disease, the effect of prenatal or early postnatal environmental factors on eNO was modified by the presence of maternal atopic disease. This underlines the complex interaction of maternal and environmental factors in the development of airway disease.

More Related Videos

Effects of Exposure of Formaldehyde to a Rat Model of Atopic Dermatitis Induced by Neonatal Capsaicin Treatment06:47

Effects of Exposure of Formaldehyde to a Rat Model of Atopic Dermatitis Induced by Neonatal Capsaicin Treatment

Published on: September 27, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Asthma-I: Introduction01:29

Asthma-I: Introduction

Asthma is a chronic respiratory ailment that requires careful management due to its varying symptoms and influencing factors. It is characterized by airway inflammation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and reversible airflow obstruction, leading to symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. The symptom frequency and intensity may vary considerably over time. It is also linked to immune system responses to allergens and irritants, highlighting the complex...
Asthma I: Introduction01:28

Asthma I: Introduction

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by variable airflow obstruction and heightened bronchial responsiveness to a wide range of triggers. The underlying inflammation leads to airway swelling, mucus hypersecretion, and smooth muscle constriction, all of which narrow the airway lumen and impede airflow. Clinically, asthma presents with recurrent episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, symptoms that typically vary in intensity and...
Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics01:23

Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics

Respiratory symptoms, such as congestion and cough, commonly accompany respiratory tract conditions. Various medications, such as antitussives, expectorants, and mucolytics, play crucial roles in providing relief.
Antitussives include codeine, dextromethorphan (Robitussin), and benzonatate (Tessalon). Codeine and dextromethorphan exert their effects centrally by suppressing the cough reflex center in the medulla.  Benzonatate operates peripherally within the respiratory tract by anesthetizing...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features01:24

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features

Chronic bronchitis is a key phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by airway-centered inflammation and mucus overproduction. It develops from long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases, most commonly cigarette smoke, which triggers a persistent inflammatory response.Cellular and Structural ChangesInflammation initially affects the large bronchi and later the smaller airways, with infiltration by immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction01:23

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a common, preventable, and treatable respiratory disorder characterized by persistent symptoms and progressive airflow limitation. This limitation results from a combination of small-airway disease (obstructive bronchiolitis) and parenchymal destruction (emphysema), both driven by chronic inflammation from exposure to harmful particles or gases.The disease includes two main pathological entities: emphysema, marked by destruction of alveolar walls and...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...