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Reference values of exhaled nitric oxide in healthy children 1–5 years using off‐line tidal breathing
Author(s) -
Van Der Heijden Hylke H.A.C.M.,
Brouwer Marianne L.,
Hoekstra Franka,
Van Der Pol Peggy,
Merkus Peter J.F.M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.22796
Subject(s) - medicine , exhaled nitric oxide , confidence interval , percentile , geometric mean , exhalation , breathing , reference values , population , pediatrics , asthma , anesthesia , spirometry , statistics , mathematics , environmental health
Measurement of the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a useful test to diagnose and/or monitor eosinophilic airway inflammation. The off‐line tidal breathing method is used for measurements in young children, but reference values for preschool children are scarce. The objective of this study was to establish reference values for FeNO in healthy children 1–5 years old. We included 51 healthy children (23 males), mean age 32.5 months, from the general population and measured FeNO, using an off‐line tidal breathing method with a chemiluminescence analyzer. The method proved feasible in 100% of the children. Geometric mean FeNO was 7.1 parts per billion (ppb), 95% confidence interval 2.8–11.5 ppb, with the 95th percentile 22.6 ppb. No significant difference was found between boys and girls, and no correlations were observed between FeNO and age, height, or weight. This study demonstrates that the off‐line tidal breathing method is feasible to measure FeNO in preschool children and provides reference values of FeNO in healthy children 1–5 years of age. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2014; 49:291–295. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.