Abstract
In 2011, the American Thoracic Society (ATS) has announced the guidelines of Interpretation of Exhaled Nitric Oxide (eNO) for clinical applications, in which eNO values were classified into three zones of low eNO, intermediate eNO and high eNo. However, its practical usefulness has not been clear yet. In this study, we classified asymptomatic asthmatic children over the age of 12, being treated with inhaled corticosteroids, according to ATS zone interpretation added with pulmonary function of %V50 zone classification, and investigated the characteristics of cases belong to low, intermediate and high eNO zones. The results were as follows, 1: significant correlation between IgE and eNO, and between small airways indicators such as %V50 and eNO were re-confirmed, 2: low eNO zone consisted of many mild atopic asthma and a small number of non-eosinophilic asthma. 3: intermediate eNO zone included many atopic cases, so it was necessary for them to check adherence to drug therapy and inhalation technique. 4: high eNO zone consisted of many severe atopic cases with small airway obstruction, so it was necessary for them not only to check the inhalation procedure and the drug adherence, but also to re-assess their asthma control. 5: ATS zone interpretation of eNO added with %V50 zone classification is one of useful clinical tool for management of asthmatic patients.
