Exhaled nitric oxide, total serum IgE and allergic sensitization in childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis

Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) levels are correlated with several markers of atopy and inflammatory activity in the airways, but the relationship between eNO and total serum IgE has not been fully elucidated in the context of allergic sensitization. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between eNO, total serum IgE and allergic sensitization in childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis. eNO levels, lung function, skin prick tests and total serum IgE were determined in 109 children (mean age, 10.4 yr) with mild intermittent asthma and in 41 children (mean age, 10.1 yr) with allergic rhinitis; 25 healthy non-atopic children were recruited as controls. eNO levels (median) were significantly higher in patients with asthma (22.7 p.p.b.) and in those with allergic rhinitis (15.3 p.p.b.) than in healthy controls (5.9 p.p.b.). Children with allergic asthma had higher eNO levels than children with allergic rhinitis. A significant positive correlation was found between eNO and total serum IgE (asthma, r = 0.42, p < 0.0001; allergic rhinitis, r = 0.31, p < 0.01), and between eNO and the number of positive skin prick tests (asthma, r = 0.31, p < 0.0001; allergic rhinitis, r = 0.39, p < 0.01). eNO levels were better correlated with total IgE than with the number of positive skin prick tests. This correlation was independent of allergic sensitization. High total serum IgE represents a specific and predictive marker of eNO increase in children with asthma or allergic rhinitis. This finding adds further support to the hypothesis that increased serum IgE could be a marker itself of airway inflammation in patients with allergic disease.     

Exhaled nitric oxide in children with asthma and sinusitis

Exhaled nitric oxide (FE_NO) is a surrogate marker of eosinophilic airway inflammation. The measurement of this gas can be easily performed in children and the result is immediately available. Because of these characteristics, measurement of FE_NO is slowly becoming part of the routine clinical evaluation of an asthmatic patient. FE_NO measurement may have a role both in the diagnosis of asthma and as a guide in therapy algorithms. For example when FE_NO levels are persistently normal and the asthmatic child is asymptomatic, the steroid therapy may be decreased or even stopped. In patients with acute or chronic rhinosinusitis the levels of nasal nitric oxide (nNO) are significantly decreased, while they rise up after a course of antibiotics. The measurement of nasal NO has been proposed as a functional test to evaluate sinus ventilation. Nasal NO is significantly reduced also in primary ciliary dyskinesia and can be used as a screening tool to identify patients affected by this condition.     

呼出气体中的一氧化氮检测与哮喘

哮喘的病理基础是慢性气道炎症。支气管镜下支气管灌洗液和支气管内膜活检的方法是检测评估气道炎症的金标准,因其有创伤性和较高的花费使其很难成为哮喘儿童常用的检查方法。其他无创伤性的方法如外周血嗜酸细胞计数、尿白三烯E4(leukotnene-E4)的检测、痰诱导细胞分析等也被用来评价气道炎症的程度,但这些方法缺乏敏感性和特异性,操作费时费力。     

Exhaled nitric oxide in childhood asthma

Endogenous synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) and its presence in exhaled air was observed in various species including humans. Particularly high levels were found in adults with bronchial asthma, possibly because of the underlying pulmonary inflammatory activity. We studied oral and nasal exhaled NO by chemiluminescence in 47 children aged between 6 and 10 years. Thirty children had bronchial asthma, 17 were healthy controls. In asthmatic children oral exhaled NO was 13.4±1.4 parts per billion (ppb) (mean±SEM), nasal exhaled NO was 21.7±1.5 ppb. In healthy controls oral exhaled NO was 7.2±1.0 ppb, nasal exhaled NO was 18.2±2.2 ppb. Oral exhaled NO was significantly higher in asthmatic children compared to healthy controls (P=0.0017). Nasal exhaled NO did not differ significantly in the two groups. There was a significant negative correlation between oral exhaled NO and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FeV₁). No significant correlation between oral or nasal exhaled NO and other markers of obstructive lung function impairment, oral minute ventilation, the body mass index and the presence of upper respiratory tract infection could be found.     

Montelukast decreased exhaled nitric oxide in children with perennial allergic rhinitis

BACKGROUND: Measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is a simple and noninvasive method for assessment of inflammatory airway diseases. eNO is elevated in adolescent patients with perennial allergic rhinitis and related to bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The aim of this study was to investigate whether oral loratadine, montelukast, nasal budesonide or nasal sodium cromoglycate could reduce airway inflammation as indicated by decrease of eNO in children with perennial allergic rhinitis as demonstrated by eNO levels. METHODS: A randomized and investigator-blinded study was conducted in a hospital-based outpatient clinic. Children with perennial allergic rhinitis were divided into four groups and treated by loratadine, loratadine with nasal sodium cromoglycate, loratadine with oral montelukast, and loratadine with nasal budesonide, respectively. Allergic rhinitis scores, eNO and peak expiratory flow were measured before and 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Results showed that eNO in children with perennial allergic rhinitis was reduced by nasal budesonide and oral montelukast within 2 weeks (24.56 +/- 14.42 vs 18.42 +/- 12.48, P < 0.001, in budesonide group; 27.81 +/- 13.4 vs 19.09 +/- 10.45, P < 0.001, in montelukast group), but not in the loratadine and cromoglycate groups. In contrast, loratadine or sodium cromoglycate also did not decrease eNO levels although they could decrease the symptom scores. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that four common treatment modalities could effectively release symptom scores, but decrease of airway inflammation as determined by decrease of eNO might be only achieved by nasal budesonide and montelukast, but not nasal sodium cromoglycate and loratadine. Children with perennial allergic rhinitis with high eNO levels may require oral montelukast or nasal budesonide treatment to prevent airway hyperresponsiveness.     

Exhaled breath condensate pH measurement in children with asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis

Recent studies have shown that the pH of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) could be predictive of asthma exacerbation. Moreover, it has been documented that both allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis constitute risk factors for the occurrence of asthma in a progression of disease known as atopic march. The aim of our study was to establish if condensate pH could be used as a valuable mean of monitoring of asthma in atopic children. We studied 34 atopic children with acute asthma, 70 with stable asthma, 35 children with allergic rhinitis, and 17 with atopic dermatitis. Thirty healthy children were used as controls. All children underwent skin prick tests and lung function tests. Exhaled breath condensate samples were collected with a condensing device and de-aerated with argon. The pH of EBC was measured using a pH meter. Children with acute asthma were treated with inhaled steroids and bronchodilators. We found that the pH of condensate in patients with acute asthma was lower than that of patients with stable asthma, rhinitis, and controls (7.25 vs. 7.32, p < 0.05; 7.25 vs. 7.48, p < 0.02; 7.25 vs. 7.78, p < 0.0001, respectively). Patients with stable asthma, rhinitis, and eczema had also lower pH than that of controls (7.32, 7.48, and 7.44 vs. 7.78; p < 0.0001, p < 0.006, p < 0.04, respectively). Patients with acute asthma normalized their pH after treatment (7.82 vs. 7.25; p < 0.0001). Finally, patients with acute asthma showed a positive correlation between pH and lung functional parameters (forced expiratory volume in 1 s; r = 0.39, p = 0.04). Our study shows that EBC pH measurement may be a promising marker for assessing airway inflammation and monitoring response to anti-inflammatory treatment in asthmatic children. Furthermore, we report the first evidence of airways acidification in children with allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. Therefore, EBC pH assessment may be useful in the evaluation of progression of the atopic march toward the development of asthma later in life. Further studies are recommended in order to confirm this indication.     

口鼻呼出气一氧化氮检测在儿童支气管哮喘控制评估及过敏性鼻炎诊断中的应用

目的 探讨口呼出气一氧化氮(fractional exhaled nitric oxide,FeNO)与鼻呼出气一氧化氮(nasal nitric oxide,nNO)检测值和儿童支气管哮喘(简称哮喘)控制水平的关系,以及对过敏性鼻炎的诊断价值.方法 以上海市儿童医院呼吸科门诊就诊的5～12岁哮喘和/或过敏性鼻炎患儿,...     

Exhaled nitric oxide in paediatric asthma and cystic fibrosis

Nitric oxide (NO) is present in exhaled air of humans. This NO is mostly produced in the upper airways, whereas basal NO excretion in the lower airways is low. Children with Kartagener's syndrome have an almost total lack of NO in nasally derived air, whereas adult asthmatics have increased NO in orally exhaled air. NO excretion was measured in the nasal cavity and in orally exhaled air in 19 healthy children, in 36 age matched subjects with asthma, and in eight children with cystic fibrosis. NO levels in orally exhaled air were similar in controls and in children with cystic fibrosis, at 4.8 (SD 1.2) v 5.8 (0.8) parts per billion (ppb), but were increased in asthmatic children who were untreated or were being treated only with low doses of inhaled steroids (13.8 (2.5) ppb). Nasal NO levels were reduced by about 70% in children with cystic fibrosis compared to controls and asthmatics. Measurements of airway NO release in different parts of the airways may be useful in non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of inflammatory airway diseases.     

北京地区学龄儿童呼出气一氧化氮调查分析

目的 了解北京地区学龄儿童呼出气一氧化氮(eNO)水平.方法 选择北京市11-18岁在校学生,采用过敏件疾病与哮喘的国际间对比研究调查问卷,通过填写问卷及现场体检对儿童进行分组(正常儿童组及曾患不同疾病儿童组),检测eNO水平、峰流速及过敏原.结果 共筛选出正常儿童395名,男177名,女218名.不同性别正常儿童eNO差异无统计学意义(P均>0.05),但与其年龄呈正相关(男性P=0.008,女性P=0.05),在男性与其身高呈正相关(P=0.02).11～14岁、14～18岁正常儿童eNO几何均数(G)分别为11.22、14.13 ppb(ppb=10~9),其95%正常值范围分别为4.17～30.20 ppb、5.50～36.31 ppb.曾患哮喘/喘息(68例)和曾患过敏性鼻炎(96例)儿童eNO几何均数分别是19.05 ppb、14.79 ppb,与正常儿童差异有统计学意义(P分别为0.001、0.008).过敏原皮肤点刺检查阳性与阴性儿童eNO几何均数分别为16.98 ppb、11.75 ppb,两组间差异有统计学意义(P=0.001).结论 北京地区11～18岁正常学龄儿童eNO随年龄波动于10.72～13.80ppb,与年龄、身高呈正相关,与性别无关.喘息性疾病、过敏性鼻炎患儿以及特应性个体eNO水平显著增加.     

Exhaled nitric oxide measurements in childhood asthma: comparison of two sampling techniques

Nitric oxide (NO) is being increasingly used to assess airway inflammation in childhood. The method recommended by the American Thoracic Society workshop is for a prolonged expiration against a resistance. However, this is very difficult to apply in young children. As a result there have been a number of studies in which mixed expired gas has been collected and analyzed for NO content as this requires very little cooperation. This method has, however, yet to be fully validated. The aims of this study were to compare the two sampling techniques of exhaled NO concentrations in asthmatic and healthy children and to assess the correlation between NO levels and spirometry values in asthmatic children We studied 25 control children, mean age 11.5 y, and 20 asthmatics, mean age 12 y. The exhaled NO was sampled using both the single breath technique (SB) and by measuring the NO content in mixed expired air after 1 min tidal breathing (ME). Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) and expiratory flow rates at 25%, 50%, and 75% of vital capacity (FEF(25), FEF(50), FEF(75), respectively) were measured by compact II spirometer (best of three) in the 20 asthmatic children. The NO level was significantly higher in the asthmatics versus the control children when measured by SB (p = 0.0015) but not when measured by ME (p = 0.1913). The NO results measured by SB were significantly higher than ME results in the asthmatic children (p = 0.008). The NO levels were negatively correlated to FEV(1), FEF(25), FEF(50), and FEV(75) when measured by SB (p < 0.02) but not when measured by ME. The SB but not the ME method for measuring expired NO discriminates between asthmatic and control children and correlates well with the degree of airway obstruction. The use of the ME technique remains unproven.     

Allergen specific sublingual immunotherapy in children with asthma and allergic rhinitis

Background

The incidence of asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) is significantly increased, especially in younger children. Current treatment for children with asthma and allergic rhinitis include allergen avoidance, standard pharmacotherapy, and immunotherapy. Since standard pharmacotherapy is prescribed for symptoms, immunotherapy at present plays an important role in the treatment of allergic diseases. This article presents insights into the up-to-date understanding of immunotherapy in the treatment of children with allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Data sources

PubMed articles published from 1990 to 2014 were reviewed using the MeSH terms "asthma", "allergic rhinitis", "children", and "immune therapy". Additional articles were identified by hand searching of the references in the initial search.

Results

Numerous studies have shown that sublingual application of allergen specific immunotherapy (SLIT) is an adequate, safe and efficient substitution to subcutaneous route of allergens administration (SCIT) in the treatment of IgE-mediated respiratory tract allergies in children. According to the literature, better clinical efficacy is connected with the duration of treatment and mono sensitized patients.

Conclusions

At least 3 years of treatment and stable asthma before the immunotherapy are positive predictors of good clinical efficacy and tolerability of SLIT. SLIT reduces the symptoms of allergic diseases and the use of medicaments, and improves the quality of life of children with the diseases.

     

Reduced basal salivary cortisol in children with asthma and allergic rhinitis

Aim: Reduced basal cortisol is reported in allergic disease. We investigated if basal salivary cortisol levels were reduced in children with asthma or allergic rhinitis, controlling for inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) use. Methods: Morning and evening saliva of asthmatic children aged 7–12 years (n = 50) and that of controls (n = 52) were sampled. A total of 19 asthmatics and four controls had allergic rhinitis. Healthy children were controls without rhinitis. Of all, 14 asthmatic children used low, and 12 used moderate or high doses of ICS. Cortisol was analysed by radioimmunoassay. Results: Morning salivary cortisol median (95% CI) was lower in asthmatics (8.7 (7.1, 9.7)) compared with that in controls (10.4 (9.6, 11.8); p = 0.006), which was similar for evening cortisol levels. Regression analyses demonstrated that asthmatics using moderate or high doses of ICS had reduced morning salivary cortisol adjusted (for age and gender) odds ratio (aOR) (95% CI) (0.54 (0.37, 0.80); p = 0.002) and reduced evening cortisol aOR (0.09 (0.01, 0.6); p = 0.02) compared with that in healthy children. Asthmatics with rhinitis on no or low doses of ICS had reduced morning cortisol aOR (0.73 (0.56, 0.96); p = 0.02) compared with that in healthy children. Conclusion: Asthmatic children on moderate or high doses of inhaled corticosteroids had reduced salivary cortisol, but co‐morbidity of asthma and rhinitis was also associated with reduced cortisol levels.     

哮喘患儿呼出气一氧化氮的变化

目的观察哮喘患儿呼出气一氧化氮（ＮＯ）的变化。方法采用化学发光法对１２８名７～１２岁正常儿童和７６例６～１４岁哮喘患儿进行呼出气ＮＯ浓度测定，同时测定哮喘儿童一秒钟用力呼气容积（ＦＥＶ１）及其占预计值百分比（ＦＥＶ１％）。对其中２１例哮喘患儿进行治疗后８个月内随访，监测其呼出气ＮＯ浓度，采用组胺激发试验测定其治疗前和治疗６个月后气道反应性。结果哮喘患儿呼出气ＮＯ浓度为３９±２１ｐｐｂ，正常儿童呼出气ＮＯ浓度为２３±１３ｐｐｂ，两组差异有显著意义（Ｐ＜０．００１）；发作期哮喘患儿呼出气ＮＯ浓度略高于缓解期患儿，但差异无显著意义（４２±２４ｐｐｂ，３５±２１ｐｐｂ，Ｐ＞０．０５）；哮喘患儿呼出气ＮＯ浓度与ＦＥＶ１％无明显相关性（ｒ＝０．０９２，Ｐ＞０．０５）。１１例吸入糖皮质激素治疗的哮喘患儿治疗２周后缓解期呼出气ＮＯ浓度较治疗前降低（２７±９ｐｐｂ，４４±１８ｐｐｂ，Ｐ＜０．０５），治疗６个月后气道高反应性（ＡＨＲ）程度表现下降趋势，另１０例未用糖皮质激素治疗的患儿缓解期呼出气ＮＯ浓度和ＡＨＲ程度均无明显改变。结论哮喘患儿呼出气ＮＯ浓度高于正常，吸入糖皮质激素治疗可降低呼出气ＮＯ浓度和ＡＨＲ。     

Exhaled nitric oxide in healthy children: Variability and a lack of correlation with atopy

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical produced by several lung cells via the enzyme nitric oxide synthetase (NOS) and can be easily measured in exhaled air by chemiluminescence analysis. As the iso-enzyme iNOS may be induced by cytokines and endotoxin, NO is elevated in several chronic inflammatory airway diseases. Prior to using exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) as a non-invasive marker of airway inflammation in daily routine, the role of possibly influencing factors such as age, time of the day, smoking exposure and intra-individual variability have to be clarified. NO concentrations were measured in 107 healthy children aged 4–18 years at an expiratory flow of 184 ml/s. Spirometry and a skin-prick test were performed and a questionnaire on family history of atopy, personal symptoms of atopic disease and smoke exposure was completed. For intra-individual variability nitric oxide was measured in six children three times daily on 6 consecutive days. Median eNO concentration was 5.7 p.p.b., and increased significantly with age but did not vary with gender. No correlation was found between eNO and smoke exposure, positive skin-prick test, FEV ₁, MEF₂₅ and time of the day. There was no circadian rhythm found in the six children measured on 6 consecutive days, but the eNO showed an intra-individual coefficient of variation of 25.9%. With the help of a two-compartment model of the lung the alveolar NO concentration was estimated to be 4.1 p.p.b and was shown to be constant with age, whereas the airway part of NO steadily increased with age. When comparing eNO values with standardized measurement techniques, the age of the children and the large intra-subject coefficient of variation have to be taken into account, whereas in healthy children subject-specific factors such as atopic history, gender and skin test reactivity did not affect eNO measurement.     

Oxidative stress in the airways of children with asthma and allergic rhinitis

To cite this article: Celik M, Tuncer A, Soyer OU, Sa?kesen C, Tanju Besler H, Kalayci O. Oxidative stress in the airways of children with asthma and allergic rhinitis. Pediatric Allergy Immunology 2012: 23: 556-561. ABSTRACT: Introduction: Even though it is well known that oxidant stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma, less is known about allergic rhinitis. Moreover, it is not known whether the co-existence of the two diseases augments the level of oxidant stress within a united airway concept. Aim: To define the level of oxidative stress in children with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis in nasal and oral exhaled breath condensates (EBC) of children. Method: Children aged 6-18?years with asthma (n?=?28), allergic rhinitis (n?=?17), asthma and allergic rhinitis (n?=?100), and healthy controls (n?=?74) were enrolled in the study. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker of oxidative stress and reduced glutathione (GSH) as an antioxidant were measured by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography in the EBC. Results: Malondialdehyde levels were higher, and GSH levels were lower in all patient groups compared to healthy controls in both nasal and oral EBC samples (p?相似文献