Flow-independent nitric oxide parameters in asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction . Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (F E NO) has been proposed as a non-invasive marker of inflammation in the lungs. Measuring F E NO at several flow rates enables the calculation of flow independent NO-parameters that describe the NO-exchange dynamics of the lungs more precisely. The purpose of this study was to compare the NO-parameters between asthmatics and healthy subjects in a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods . A systematic search was performed in Ovid Medline, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases. All studies with asthmatic and healthy control groups with at least one NO-parameter calculated were included. Results . From 1137 identified studies, 33 were included in the meta-analysis. All NO-parameters (alveolar NO concentration (C A NO), bronchial flux of NO (J aw NO), bronchial mucosal NO concentration (C aw NO) and bronchial wall NO diffusion capacity (D aw ...
Source: Journal of Breath Research - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Source Type: research