The relation between nitric oxide levels in exhaled breath condensate and asthma control questionnaires in asthma patients

The goal of asthma treatment is to achieve clinical control. The aim of this study was to compare the role of measurement of nitric oxide and its products in exhaled breath condensate and asthma control questionnaire (ACQ), level of asthma control (LAC) according to GINA guidelines and bronchial provocation test (BPT) in assesing asthma control in cases with stable asthma. Thus, 47 patients with the diagnosis of stable asthma and 42 individuals in the control group were enrolled in the study. The mean ages of the patient and the control groups were 44 +/- 11 and 47 +/- 11 years, respectively. While there was no significant relation between LAC and levels of nitric oxide, nitrite and nitrate, there was a significant relation between ACQ and mini quality of life questionnaire (p<0.001). In the group with positive BPT, ACQ scores and absolute serum eosinophil values were significantly higher (p<0.05), and FEV1/FVC and PEF percentages were significantly lower than those of the group with negative BPT (p<0.05). Reversibility was significantly higher in participants with positive BPT than in those with negative BPT (11.2 +/- 7.4 and 6.9 +/- 6.6, respectively; p<0.05). There was no significant relationship between nitric oxide, nitrite, nitrate in the exhaled breath condensate and ACQ, LAC, BPT and pulmonary function tests (p>0.05). In conclusion, it was found that the levels of exhaled breath condensate nitric oxide, nitrite and nitrate were not sufficient for determining the level of asthma control in patients with stable asthma. It was concluded that the currently available asthma control questionnaires may be adequate for assesing asthma control.