PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - P. J. Franklin
AU  - G. L. Hall
AU  - A. Moeller
AU  - F. Horak
AU  - S. Brennan
AU  - S. M. Stick
TI  - Exhaled nitric oxide is not reduced in infants with cystic fibrosis
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.06.00071005
DP  - 2006 Feb 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 350--354
VI  - 27
IP  - 2
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/27/2/350.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/27/2/350.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2006 Feb 01; 27
AB  - Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) has been reported to be reduced in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. However, data from young children are conflicting and it is not clear whether this is a primary feature of the disease or a secondary response. The present study compared FeNO between CF and healthy infants using a validated single-breath technique. A total of 23 healthy infants (11 females; mean age 40.1 weeks) and 18 infants with CF (nine females; 64.9 weeks) underwent tests of lung function and FeNO. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was collected from all CF infants 2–5 days after lung function testing. There was no significant difference in FeNO between the CF and healthy infants (geometric mean: 23.1 parts per billion (ppb) and 17.0 ppb, respectively). There was an inverse relationship between age and FeNO in the CF patients, but not in the healthy group. Within the CF group, there was no association between FeNO and any marker of airway inflammation measured in the BAL. Exhaled nitric oxide is not reduced in cystic fibrosis infants, but does decrease with age. The current data indicate that FeNO is not a good marker of airway inflammation in cystic fibrosis.