Vol. 4, Issue 4 (2015)

Author(s):
Pertseva T.A, Gashynova K.Y, Krykhtina М.А

Abstract:
Nowadays scientists are looking for the new non-invasive markers to detect early stages of COPD exacerbation. The aim of our work was to compare the levels of NO in exhaled air of patients with stable COPD and in COPD patients with acute exacerbations. Also we evaluated the effect of continuous use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) on the exhaled NO level. The study included 61 patients with COPD (group 1 – 38 patients in the stable phase, group 2 – 23 patients with exacerbation; group 3 – 11 healthy volunteers). Lung function, concentration of NO in exhaled air and assessment with mMRC scale were conducted in all patients.
The analysis revealed that NO level in exhaled air during exacerbation of COPD was 24 [17-40] ppb, which is significantly higher in comparison with both patients with stable COPD (9,5 [7-12] ppb) and healthy people (12,0 [10,0-15,0] ppb ) (p <0,001). Therefore NO level in exhaled air determination can be used as one of the non-invasive markers of exacerbation in COPD for early start of enhanced therapy. Lung function, body mass index, height, weight and smoking history did not affect the concentration of NO in the exhaled air in patients with COPD either during exacerbation or remission. Also, we found no influence of prolonged therapy with ICS on NO levels in COPD patients, which can be due to the small size of the group.