Should exhaled nitric oxide measurement be part of routine asthma management?

摘要

Nitric oxide (NO) is an endogenous regulatory molecule widely distributed throughout the body as a messenger in many biologic processes. It is produced from L-arginine by the NO synthase enzymes. It activates cytosolic guanylate cyclase, which converts guanosine triphosphate to cyclic guanosine monophosphate. It is a highly reactive molecule in the tissues but is fairly stable in the gas phase. In the respiratory tract, NO is present in the epithelial cells, and its production increases in the presence of inflammatory processes, particularly eosinophilic inflammation