There has been intense research into the role nitric oxide (NO) plays in physiological and pathological mechanisms and its clinical significance in respiratory medicine. Elevated levels of exhaled levels of exhaled NO in asthma and other inflammatory lung diseases lead to many studies examining NO as potential markers of airway inflammation, enabling repeated noninvasive and standardized monitoring of airway inflammation. In airway inflammation, NO is not merely a marker but may have anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory effects. Significant correlation has been found between exhaled NO and skin test scores in steroid naive asthmatic patients, allowing to discriminate patients with and without airway responsiveness. Exhaled NO is significantly elevated in acute asthma, or steroid-resistant severe asthma, or when the maintenance dose of inhaled steroids is reduced, and quickly reduced down to the levels in patients with stable asthma after steroid treatment. Exhaled NO has been successfully used to monitor anti-inflammatory treatment with inhaled corticosteroids in asthma. Exhaled NO is extremely sensitive and rapid marker of the dose-dependent effect of steroid treatment, or asthma deterioration, which is increased to any changes in lung function, provocative concentration causing a 20% fall in forced expiratory volume, sputum eosinophilia or asthma symptoms. Exhaled NO is not increased in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but patients with unstable COPD, or bronchiectasis have high NO levels. Exhaled and nasal NO are diagnostically low in cystic fibrosis and primary pulmonary dyskinesia. Analysis of exhaled air, including nitric oxide, is feasible and could provide a noninvasive method for use in monitoring and management of lung diseases.
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