Exhaled nitric oxide is reduced in infants with cystic fibrosis

Background-Exhaled nitric oxide levels are low in patients with cystic fibr osis (CF), despite the chronic inflammation present in the airways. This st udy aimed to determine whether levels of exhaled nitric oxide were reduced prior to the onset of respiratory symptoms in infants with CE Methods-The levels of exhaled nitric oxide were measured using a chemilumin escence analyser in five infants with CF and 11 healthy control subjects, b oth groups having a mean age of 48.6 days. Results-Mean levels of exhaled n itric oxide were significantly lower in infants with CF than in the control group (4.9 ppb v 12.1 ppb; p=0.01). Conclusions-This finding may be the key to understanding the inflammatory p rocesses in early cystic fibrosis and may lead to novel treatment approache s. (Thorax 2001;56:151-152).