Nitric Oxide: A Promising Methodological Approach in Airway Diseases

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent biological mediator, and has a regulatory role in a wide variety of cellular and tissue functions. In the upper and lower airways, NO has been suggested to be involved in different functions with regulatory, protective, defensive or damaging effects. It is obvious that NO plays an important role in host defense, and is liberated in the nose and the paranasal sinuses. This review aims to highlight some aspects of the origin and function of NO in airway diseases, such as allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyps, primary ciliary dyskinesia, and cystic fibrosis. In conclusion, NO measurement may be a promising noninvasive diagnostic marker for airway pathologies.

Nasal nitric oxide and its metabolites as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and follow-up of allergic rhinitis

“…The level of nNO is influenced by the presence of marked sinus ostial obstruction by several airway diseases as rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps. [23] In our study, a statistically significant difference was detected between pre-and post-treatment in terms of total nitrite+nitrate levels in nasal lavage. Following the treatment, nitrite+nitrate levels reached the level of the control group, and the pre-treatment difference disappeared.…”

Exhaled Nasal Nitric Oxide During Humming: Potential Clinical Tool in Sinonasal Disease?

“…The extremely low levels of nNO during humming support the notion that NO is defective in the paranasal sinuses, as was recently pointed out [7]. The less expensive and more reliable hand-held electrochemical assay may be a valuable addition to daily clinical practice, being more commonly used for NO measurement.…”

“…Moreover, the predictive diagnostic role of a lower nNO value in patients with CRS and polyposis, when compared with patients with CRS without polyposis, was also appreciated [5]. In two different reviews, Scadding and Scadding [6] and Sahin et al [7] have compared the nNO levels in different upper and lower airway diseases, thus evaluating the clinical relevance of exhaled and nNO in both adults and children. The reported nNO levels in adults presented a high variability, ranging from 394 to 996 parts per billion (ppb).…”

Altered MicroRNA Expression of Nasal Mucosa in Long-Term Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis

“…In earlier studies, both an increased level of blood eosinophils [43] and eosinophilic airway inflammation were associated with more severe asthma [44] . Nitric oxide is a marker of inflammation in the upper and lower airways [45] . The FE NO level was elevated in subjects with asthma and AR compared to the controls, whereas this was not seen in asthmatics without AR.…”