Min-Suk Yang, MD
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Yoon-Jung Kim, MD
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Woo-Jung Song
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Min-Hye Kim
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Gyu-Young Hur
,
Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Tae-Bum Kim, MD, PhD
,
Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Sang-Heon Kim, MD
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Hae-Sim Park, MD, PhD
,
Department of Allergy & Clincal Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon-si, South Korea
Young Joo Cho
,
Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University Mockdong Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
Suk-Il Chang, MD
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Sungae General Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
Tae-Wan Kim
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Sae-Hoon Kim
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
Hye-Ryun Kang
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Heung-Woo Park
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Sun-Sin Kim
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Yoon-Seok Chang, MD, PhD
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
Sang-Heon Cho
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Kyung-Up Min
,
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
You-Young Kim, MD, PhD
,
Department of Internal medicine, division of allergy and clinical immunology, National Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
Background: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is widely used as an inflammatory marker for asthma. However, reference values and influencing factors of FeNO using Niox Mino, which is the only device achieving US FDA approval, are not well described in healthy Asian adults. This study aimed to suggest the reference values and influencing factors of FeNO in healthy Korean adults.
Methods: Subjects who were over 19 years old and did not have any history of rhinitis, asthma or recent respiratory symptoms were enrolled. FeNO levels were measured using Niox Mino. Age, gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking status and lung function were also measured to analyze factors associated with FeNO levels.
Results: The mean value of FeNO was 16.14±10.04 ppb. The reference value of FeNO, which was defined as the value of 95% in distribution curve, was same or less than 34 ppb. In a univariate analysis, FeNO levels were not associated with age, BMI and smoking history. However, atopy status (18.2±11.8 for atopy and 15.1 ± 8.5 for nonatopy groups, p = 0.008) and gender (17.8±10.2 for male and 14.8 ± 9.8 for female groups, p <0.001) were positively associated with FeNO levels. In stratified analysis, the significance of both variables remained unchanged. (p < 0.001)
Conclusions: Our data suggested that the reference value of FeNO in healthy Korean adults seemed to be same or less than 34 ppb. Reference values of FeNO in Korean adults are influenced by gender and atopy status.
This study was supported by a grant of Korea HealthCare technology R&D project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (A092076)
