Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Dual Test Gas Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity Measurement During Exercise in Humans Using the Single-Breath Method
Published on: February 2, 2024
Exhaled nitric oxide in a Taiwanese population: age and lung function as predicting factors
Hsu-Chung Liu1, Jeng-Yuan Hsu, Ya-Wen Cheng
1Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Background/Purpose:
The fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)) has been reported to be elevated in asthma and many other lung diseases. The present study investigated reference values and determinants of FE(NO) in a Taiwanese non-smoking, healthy adult population.
Methods:
We used a chemiluminescence analyzer according to American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society recommendations to measure FE(NO) values in 356 adults who received a health check-up and a detailed respiratory questionnaire at Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan. Among the volunteers, 249 fulfilled our definition of healthy adults: no history of smoking or physician-diagnosed asthma; no recent upper airway infection; no chronic respiratory symptoms; and no allergic rhinitis and urticaria.
Results:
Among the 249 non-smoking and non-asthmatic adults, the mean (5th to 95th percentile reference range) FE(NO) was 27.9 (12.5-58.0) parts per billion. In multivariate regression analyses, age and lung function (forced vital capacity or forced expiratory volume in 1 second) were associated positively with FE(NO) values. Sex, height, weight, and ambient NO values were not associated significantly with FE(NO) values.
Conclusion:
Age and lung function were predictors of FE(NO) in this population, and these factors should be considered for clinical applications of FE(NO) measurements.
Related Concept Videos
Factors Affecting Pulmonary Ventilation
Alveolar Surface Tension
The alveolar fluid lines the luminal surface of the alveoli and exerts a force called surface tension. This force is caused by the polar water molecules in the liquid being more strongly attracted to each...
Pulmonary Function Tests
Pulmonary Function Tests are crucial diagnostic tools for assessing respiratory function, particularly in patients with chronic respiratory disorders. They comprehensively evaluate lung volumes, ventilatory function, breathing mechanics, diffusion, and gas exchange. These tests help diagnose pulmonary diseases and play a significant role in monitoring disease progression, evaluating disability, and assessing response to therapy.
PFTs involve using a spirometer, a...
COPD: Management Using Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History
COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
