Fractional exhaled nitric oxide and multiple breath nitrogen washout in preschool healthy and asthmatic children

Lea Vilmann, Frederik Buchvald, Kent Green, Kim Gjerum Nielsen*

*Corresponding author for this work
11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Introduction Objectively assessing pulmonary disease is challenging in preschool children with asthma. We evaluated the feasibility of measuring fractional exhaled nitrogen oxide (FeNO) and multiple breath nitrogen washout (N2MBW) in children. We compared their capacities for discriminating between children with asthma and healthy controls. Methods We measured FeNO and N2MBW-derived indices of lung clearance (LCI2.5) and conductive and acinar ventilation heterogeneity (Scond and Sacin) in 65 preschool children; 35 with physician-diagnosed asthma and 30 healthy. FeNO was measured with a portable device (sampling time, 6 s). We employed data quality control guidelines on N2MBW. Feasibility was evaluated in a maximum of 8 attempts for both methods. Atopic co-morbidity and first-degree disposition were evaluated with the ISAAC-questionnaire. Results FeNO and N2MBW testing were feasible in 45% and 91% of children, respectively. Feasibility was highly age-dependent. In children under 4 years old, FeNO was not feasible, but N2MBW was 85% feasible. Children with asthma had significantly elevated Scond values (median; 95% CI) (0.024; 0.020; 0.029) compared to healthy controls (0.019; 0.016; 0.023), but similar FeNO, LCI2.5 and Sacinvalues. Conclusion The feasibility of measuring FeNO was highly age-dependent and not applicable in children under age 4. N2MBW was feasible in the majority of preschool children. Scond, but not FeNO, could discriminate between children with asthma and healthy controls.

Original languageEnglish
JournalRespiratory Medicine
Volume133
Pages (from-to)42-47
Number of pages6
ISSN0954-6111
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2017

Keywords

  • Asthma
  • Children
  • Feasibility
  • FeNO
  • Lung clearance index
  • MBW
  • Preschool

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