09 Jan 2018

Introducing FENO

FRACTIONAL EXHALED NITRIC OXIDE (FENO) MONITORING

Why Measure FENO ?

FENO measurement will aid in the assessment, management, and long-term monitoring of asthma. The test immediately helps immediately detect airway inflammation (Asthma) in contrast to Spirometry which does not detect or measure airway inflammation itself.

Breath nitric oxide is a product of metabolism; when the airways are inflamed by allergy, theFENO level is increased. Barring a few false causes, FENO tells us that there is probably inflammation in the airways that is eosinophilic in nature, and likely to respond to corticosteroid therapy.

Nitric oxide is the marker for eosinophilic airway inflammation.

What uses does FENO have ?

  • Diagnose – Marker for airway inflammation
  • Know if the patient requires ICS treatment or not.
  • Check patient response to treatment.
  • Make any necessary adjustment to treatment.
  • FENO is an excellent predictor of sterrol response.
  • Cold standard of managing Asthma.

Benefits of FENO ?

Many diseases present with symptoms similar to those seen in asthma. Understanding whether airway inflammation is present can help rule out these conditions and support a diagnosis of asthma.

Examples of conditions with symptoms similar to those seen in asthma:

  • Chronic cough
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Vocal cord dysfunction
  • Bronchitis
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)