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Chemiluminescence-based Assays for Detection of Nitric Oxide and its Derivatives from Autoxidation and Nitrosated Compounds
Published on: February 16, 2022
Exhaled nitric oxide indicates poorly athlete's asthma.
Mikko Voutilainen1, Leo Pekka Malmberg, Tommi Vasankari
1Department of Allergy, Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
The Clinical Respiratory Journal
|April 9, 2013
Summary
Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a poor predictor of bronchial hyperresponsiveness and asthma in elite athletes. This finding suggests FENO is unlikely to be a useful screening tool for athletes experiencing exercise-induced respiratory symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Pulmonology
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Exercise-induced respiratory symptoms are prevalent in athletes.
- Assessing these symptoms is time- and resource-intensive.
- Fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a potential non-invasive biomarker.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate FENO as a predictor of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and asthma in elite athletes.
- To compare FENO's predictive value in athletes versus sedentary individuals.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-seven elite athletes and 87 sedentary patients underwent FENO and BHR measurements.
- BHR was assessed using methacholine (MCH) or histamine (HIST) provocation tests, and eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea (EVH) in athletes.
- Asthma diagnosis was confirmed by lung function tests.
Main Results:
- In elite athletes, elevated FENO (>30 ppb) did not correlate with MCH-confirmed asthma but showed limited predictive value for EVH positivity (AUC 0.652), with poor sensitivity and specificity.
- In sedentary patients, FENO was significantly associated with asthma and HIST positivity, demonstrating good predictive value (AUC 0.83 for HIST, AUC 0.74 for asthma).
Conclusions:
- FENO appears to be a poor predictor of BHR and asthma in elite athletes, unlike in sedentary individuals.
- FENO is unlikely to serve as an effective screening tool for exercise-induced respiratory symptoms in athletes.
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