DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF FeNO IN SEVERE ASTHMA

Abstract

The heterogeneous nature and variability of asthma quite often cause diagnostic difficulties. The diagnosis of asthma historically centers on clinical symptoms, however, many other diseases have similar symptoms, leading to both the under-and overdiagnosis of asthma. Much was expected from the nitric oxide in the exhaled air (FeNO). Although FeNO is intensively studied and recommended for use in asthma diagnosis and treatment guidelines of various societies, it remains controversial. The systematic reviews of the use of FeNO in asthma patients, published in recent years by different groups of authors, do not recommend relying on FeNO in clinical practice for asthma diagnostics, assessing the effect of treatment or disease control. However, with the onset of the era of biological therapy, it is likely that this biomarker will find its niche in clinical practice. As treatment options for severe asthma increase, FeNO can be useful for more accurately identifying the phenotype of severe asthma and selecting the most appropriate target therapy.