weeks with noninvasive measures of airway inflammation including exhaled nitric oxide (eNO), sputum induction with bronchial hyperreactivity testing, and exhaled breath condensate. Physicians who were unaware of the results of inflammatory measures made reductions in the steroid dose on the basis of clinical assessment and spirometry. Multiple logistic-regression models were used to determine t...

BACKGROUND Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways but recent studies have shown that alveoli are also subject to pathophysiological changes. This study was undertaken to compare hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) concentrations in different parts of the lung using a new technique of fractioned breath condensate sampling. METHODS In 52 children (9-17 years, 32 asthmatic patients, 20...

BACKGROUND Cysteinyl leukotrienes (Cys-LTs) and isoprostanes are inflammatory metabolites derived from arachidonic acid whose levels are increased in the airways of asthmatic patients. Isoprostanes are relatively stable and specific for lipid peroxidation, which makes them potentially reliable biomarkers for oxidative stress. A study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of a course of oral ste...

Silicosis has progressive, but unpredictable development. There are no markers routinely available to measure the activity and prognosis of silicosis. 8-isoprostane, a marker of oxidative stress and leukotrienes B4, C4, D4, and E4 were measured in exhaled breath condensate in patients with silicosis. Sixty subjects were examined, with mean age 66.7+/-2.0 yr and mean exposure to silica 23.6+/-2....

BACKGROUND Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in exhaled air condensate is elevated in inflammatory disorders of the lower respiratory tract. It is unknown whether viral colds contribute to exhaled H2O2. AIM To assess exhaled H2O2 during and after a common cold. METHODS We examined H2O2 in the breath condensate of 20 normal subjects with acute symptoms of a common cold and after recovery 2 weeks late...

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), induced sputum and exhaled breath markers (exhaled nitric oxide and exhaled breath condensate) can each provide biological insights into the pathogenesis of respiratory disorders. Some of their biomarkers are also employed in the clinical management of patients with various respiratory diseases. In the clinical context, however, defining normal values and cut-off p...

Many asbestos-exposed subjects have minor parenchymal changes on high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) that do not fulfil the diagnostic criteria for pulmonary fibrosis and asbestosis. We investigated if these borderline parenchymal changes in asbestos-exposed subjects are related to pulmonary inflammatory activity. Exhaled nitric oxide was measured, exhaled breath condensate collected and...

A irway inflammation plays a key role in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other airway diseases. Noninvasive methods as tools to study these inflammatory processes and to monitor airway diseases are in high demand. This has lead to the rediscovery of sputum analysis and sputum induction as noninvasive tools to obtain samples from the airways [1]. Around this time increas...