Seasonal change in exhaled nitric oxide level in patient with allergic asthma susceptible to inhalant allergens

Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between exhalednitric oxide levels and clinical symptoms and fungi spore counts and it?s seasonalchange in children monosensitized to mold.Method: Fifteen asthmatic patients with isolated fungi hypersensitivity andfifteen nonatopic, healthy subjects with same age and gender were included to thestudy. Patients were between 7-18 years old and mean age was 9,4±2,7 years. In patientgroup, 93% of have had mild asthma. All patients were evaluated monthly in outpatientclinic for 9 months and symptom score, symptom medication score, pulmonary functiontest, exhaled nitric oxide levels, physical examination, number of upper and lowerrespiratory system infections, number of acute asthma attacks, number of admission toemergency services, number of night awakening asthma attacks, loss of school dayswere evaluated in all visits. Fungi spore counts and humidity were encountered asenvironmental factors.Results: Exhaled nitric oxide levels were significantly higher in patient groupcompared to control group(p=0.009). NO measurements were significantly higher inspring and summer (p=0.021 , p=0.002). We found significant correlation between NOlevels and syptom score, number of attacks, humidity (p<0.01, p=0.038 , p=0.046 ,p=0.006). There were not a significant correlation between exhaled NO levels andFEV1 mesurements(p>0.05). Number of upper and lower respiratory system infectionsand NO levels were not found to be correlated (p>0.05). Fungi spore counts and NOlevels were not correlated (p=0.76 , p=0.87). There were no relationship betweennumber of admission to emergency services, number of night awakening asthmaattacks, loss of school days and NO levels.Conclusion: Nitric oxide levels are higher in asthma patients compared tohealthy subjects and NO levels rise in acute asthma attack so NO is an importantinflammation parameter. In our study, we cannot show the relation between NO levelsand fungi spores in spring and summer. We concluded that measuring vegetative fungispores with agar jel medium in stead of measuring spores with airtrap method mayenlighten this conflict