@article {Nadif351, author = {Rachel Nadif and Marta Rava and Brigitte Decoster and H{\'e}l{\`e}ne Huyvaert and Nicole Le Moual and Jean Bousquet and Val{\'e}rie Siroux and Rapha{\"e}lle Varraso and Isabelle Pin and Farid Zerimech and R{\'e}gis Matran}, title = {Exhaled nitric oxide, nitrite/nitrate levels, allergy, rhinitis and asthma in the EGEA study}, volume = {44}, number = {2}, pages = {351--360}, year = {2014}, doi = {10.1183/09031936.00202413}, publisher = {European Respiratory Society}, abstract = {Although interest in biomarkers in the nitrate{\textendash}nitrite{\textendash}NO pathway has recently increased, associations between nitrite (NO2-) and nitrate (NO3-), and asthma, allergic sensitisation and rhinitis remain unclear. The study aimed to evaluate the associations between NO2-/NO3- and exhaled fraction of nitric oxide (FeNO) levels with asthma, allergic sensitisation and rhinitis. Plasma and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) NO2-/NO3- and FeNO levels were measured in 523 adults of the French Epidemiological study on Genetics and Environment of Asthma. Allergic sensitisation was defined by a positive skin prick test for at least one aeroallergen. Subjects were classified as non-sensitised, sensitised and as having allergic rhinitis. Plasma NO2-/NO3- level was unrelated to any disease phenotypes. EBC NO2-/NO3- level was unrelated to any asthma phenotypes. EBC NO2-/NO3- and FeNO levels were correlated in sensitised subjects only (r=0.21{\textpm}0.10, p=0.01). EBC NO2-/NO3- and FeNO levels were higher in sensitised than in non-sensitised subjects (adjusted geometric mean (95\% CI): 2.36 (1.96{\textendash}2.84) versus 1.72 (1.38{\textendash}2.14) μmol per mg proteins, p=0.008; and 18.3 (16.7{\textendash}20.0) versus 14.8 (13.3{\textendash}16.5) ppb, p=0.0006, respectively), with gradual relationships from sensitised subjects to those with allergic rhinitis (p\<0.0001). Results suggest that EBC NO2-/NO3- and FeNO levels may be considered as biological markers of intensity of allergic sensitisation and rhinitis. The EGEA study: exhaled nitrate/nitrite/NO levels may be considered markers for intensity of allergy and rhinitis http://ow.ly/uKbxh}, issn = {0903-1936}, URL = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/2/351}, eprint = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/2/351.full.pdf}, journal = {European Respiratory Journal} }