Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
05:46
A Novel Inhalation Mask System to Deliver High Concentrations of Nitric Oxide Gas in Spontaneously Breathing Subjects
Published on: May 4, 2021
Are exhaled nitric oxide measurements using the portable NIOX MINO repeatable?
Anna Selby1, Bernie Clayton, Jane Grundy
1School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. acs404@soton.ac.uk
Respiratory Research
|April 27, 2010
Summary
Reproducibility of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) measurements in children and teenagers is poor for absolute values but acceptable when categorized. Categorical eNO values can guide asthma management with one measurement, while absolute values require at least two.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Biomarker Analysis
Background:
- Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is a non-invasive marker for airway inflammation.
- Portable analyzers like NIOX MINO are now available for eNO measurement.
- Assessing eNO measurement reproducibility in diverse pediatric populations is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reproducibility of NIOX MINO measurements in children and teenagers.
- To assess reproducibility across different age groups, sexes, and lung function levels.
- To compare reproducibility for both absolute and categorized eNO values.
Main Methods:
- Paired eNO readings were collected from 494 teenagers (16-18 years) in a birth cohort.
- Paired eNO readings were collected from 65 children (6-17 years) with asthma.
- Reproducibility was analyzed for absolute and categorized eNO values, including subgroup analyses.
Main Results:
- High variability was observed in absolute eNO readings within participants (mean difference 1.37 ppb).
- Excellent agreement was found for categorized eNO values (low, normal, intermediate, high) (kappa = 0.907).
- Similar reproducibility patterns were noted across sex, lung function, and asthma status subgroups in both study groups.
Conclusions:
- Absolute exhaled nitric oxide values show poor reproducibility in children and teenagers.
- Categorized exhaled nitric oxide values demonstrate acceptable reproducibility.
- One eNO measurement suffices for categorical values in asthma management; absolute values require a mean of two.
