TY - JOUR T1 - No association between exhaled nitric oxide and the outcome of the eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea provocation test in patients suspected of exercised-induced bronchoconstriction JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 44 IS - Suppl 58 SP - P3978 AU - A.-M. Vints AU - H. Cuypers AU - G. De Schutter AU - S. Moustie AU - L. Vervliet AU - W. De Backer AU - E. Oostveen Y1 - 2014/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P3978.abstract N2 - Introduction: Recently, Berkman et al. (Thorax '05) suggested that exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) can be used as a rapid test for the diagnosis of asthma in patients with non-specific respiratory symptoms and normal baseline spirometry. Furthermore, they concluded that eNO is as good as bronchial provocation tests.Aim and Methods: We studied the relationship between eNO and the level of bronchial responsiveness in subjects who were referred to the pulmonary department of the Antwerp University Hospital for diagnostic evaluation. Only subjects in whom the consulting respiratory physician had a strong suspicion of exercised-induced-bronchoconstriction (EIB) but without other clinical symptoms of asthma were included. All subjects were involved in sports at the competition level. eNO was measured prior to eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea provocation testing (EVH).Results: In the total group of subjects (18 M:13 F, age: 19 (5 (SD) yrs, baseline FEV1= 108 (12) %pred), 12 patients exhibited a fall in FEV1> 10% baseline, i.e. positive for EIB. There was no significant correlation between eNO and the change in FEV1 after EVH challenge (see figure).Conclusion: eNO cannot substitute the eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea provocation test in the diagnosis of asthma, at least not in the subgroup of athletes suspected of exercised-induced bronchoconstriction. ER -