Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide and soluble receptors for advanced glycation end products are negatively correlated in children with recurrent wheezing.

BACKGROUND: The fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and serum levels of the soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) have been suggested as biomarkers for asthma.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the correlation between FeNO and sRAGE serum levels in children <5 years old with recurrent wheezing.

METHOD: In total, 88 children with recurrent wheezing were divided into the high-risk group or low-risk group according to their clinical features. The high-risk group included 60 children, 42 male and 18 female, average age 36.7 months (range 32-48.7 months); the low-risk group included 28 children, 20 male and 8 female, average age 38.1 months (range 33-46.2 months).Asthma in high-risk children was treated with aerosol inhalation of Pulmicort respules 1 mg/d for four continuous weeks, while asthma in low-risk children was treated with symptomatic treatment. FeNO, serum sRAGE and eosinophils (EOS) were examined by ELISA and a regular blood cell analyzer.

RESULTS: The serum sRAGE level was 738±191 and 992.4±210 pg/ml and the mean FeNO level was 27.3 and 17.6 ppm, respectively, in the asthma high-risk and low-risk group, showing significant differences between the two groups. In addition, FeNO and sRAGE serum levels were negatively correlated.After the inhalation of Pulmicort respules, FeNO decreased and sRAGE increased, while EOS showed no significant change.

CONCLUSIONS: FeNO and sRAGE serum levels are negatively correlated in children with recurrent wheezing. Further larger scale studies are needed to test the use of FeNO and sRAGE as biomarkers for the prediction of asthma in children.