Non-Invasive Markers of Airway Inflammation Flashcards

1
Q

_____ plays a major role in the pathogenesis and exacerbation of lung disease. However, _____ or symptoms do not reflect the inflammation in the lung.

Assessing airway inflammation will help with _____, moitoring disease and assessment of _____ efficacy.

A

Inflammation plays a major role in the pathogenesis and exacerbation of lung disease. However, LFTs or symptoms do not reflect the inflammation in the lung.

Assessing airway inflammation will help with diagnosis, moitoring disease and assessment of treatment efficacy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Bronchial biopsies and BAL are two ways of assessing airway inflammation. Give some disadvantages to these interventions (5)

A
  1. Invasive
  2. Can not be done repeatedly
  3. Can not be used in severe disease
  4. Can not be used in exacerbation
  5. Can not be used in children
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Name some non-invasive markers of inflammation in the lungs (4)

A
  1. Exhaled breath
    1. NO, CO, Ethane, Ammonia
  2. Induced Sputum
    1. Cell counts, mediators
  3. Condensates
    1. Oxidants, mediators, metals
  4. Single breath measurement of bronchial blood floow
  5. Synthetic Absorptive Matrix (SAM)
    1. Mediators
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Briefly describe the basis of eNO

A

Chemiluminescence analysis of exhaled NO

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Describe how an eNO would be measured (protocol)

A

Inhalation

  1. Ambient air, NO free
  2. Inhale through mout to TLC over 2-3s

Exhalation

  1. Nasal clip: excludes nasal NO
  2. Exhalation flow rate of 50mL/second
  3. Mean 3 exhalations with <10% variability
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the flow rate needed for eNO?

A

50mL/sec (0.045-0.055 L/sec)

Decided by ATS/ERS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Why is a ‘high’ flow rate required over low flow for eNO?

A

Low flow rate will lead to overestimation of NO

Low flow rate has steeper curve -> ↓reproducibility

NO value can be too high (not within detection limit)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the result ranges for eNO

A

LOW: <5

NORMAL: 5-20

HIGH NORMAL/INCREASED: 20-35

HIGH: >35

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What could a low FeNO be caused by

A

Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

Cystic Fibrosis

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What coyudl a high normal/increased FeNO be caused by?

A

Cold/influenza

High baseline in atopic patients

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What could a high FeNO indicate

A

Poor compliance

Steroid-resistant

Recent allergen exposure

Not all with high FeNO have symptoms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Interpret this graph

A

There is a significant increase in eNO in asthmatics compared to healthy controls - p<0.001

NB: This data was cllecte before the exhalation rate was standardised

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Interpret this data on eNO and FEV1 after allergen challenge in n=16

A

FEV1 (N = 3.5-4.5 L)

  • Decrease in FEV1 at 1hr after allergen exposure
  • Increases back up, close to baseline at 4 hours post-exposure
  • FEV1 falls again to a trough at 9 hours post-exposure
  • FEV1 then increases back to baseline at 27 hours

eNO

  • Sligh increase shortly after allergen exposure then decreases slightly below baseline at 1 hour.
  • Steady increase to a peak at 20 hours
  • Fall back to baseline at 26 hours

Significance

  • There is a significant increase in eNO and decrease in FEV1 from 6-20hrs post-allergen exposure in the late phase
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Interpret this data which looked at exhaled NO and airway inflammation in asthma

A

logPC = provocation challenge, ↓PC to cause 20% decrease in FEV, then ↑airway hyperresopnsiveness

Graph 1

  • As PC20 decreased, the eNO also decreased
  • There is a significant negative correlation at p<0.001

Graph 2

  • As eNO increased, the sputum eosinophils also increased
  • There is a significant positive correlation with p=0.003
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Interpret the data

A

There was a significant decrease in eNO with both concentrations of budesonide compared to placebo at days 3 and 5.

There was a significant increase in eNO at day 22 when the ICS wsa stopped.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Explain the one-compartment and two-compartment model in eNO.

A

One-compartment model

  • Measures NO from the alveoli and bronchus
  • Assumes that bronchial and alveolar NO production levels are the same
  • Assumes flow is the same in both alevoli and bronchus

Two-compartment model

  • Splits into alveolar and conducting airway compartments through flow rates
17
Q

Interpret the data

A

Bronchial

  • In asthma there is an increased NO in the bronchi
  • Suggests more inflammation in the conducting airways than in the alveoli

Alveolar

  • Increased eNO in COPD when flow was from alveoli
  • Even larger increase in ILD
18
Q

Advantage of exhaled NO and what can it be used for

A
  • Practical
    • Reproducible
    • On-line
  • Patient Management
    • Monitor ICS compliance
    • Monitor dose of combination inhaler
19
Q

Disadvantages of exhaled NO

A

Expensive

Home monitoring not possible

Not correlated with disease severity

20
Q

Outline the protocol for an induced sputum

A

Inhalation of hypertonic saline

After each inhalation, subject blows nose, rinses mouth and coughs into container

21
Q

What can you measure from an induced sputum

A

Cell count

Mediators (elastase, GF, chemokines LTs)

22
Q

Explain how induced sputum could hellp manage patients

A

Management by sputum eosinophils seems to decrease severe exacerbations compared to management by BTS guidelines

23
Q

What are some limitations for induced sputum (5)

A
  • Safety
    • Saline can be bronchoconstrictor for asthamtics/COPD
  • Pro-inflammatory
    • Needs time interval before can be done again
  • Not reproducible
  • Time consuming
  • Needs specialist training
24
Q

Briefly outline the protocol for condensate measurement

A

Subject breaths through glass chamber

Breath gets condensed as there is a cold core

Condensate gathers at the bottom

25
Q

What can you measure from condesnate

A

Any soluble compounds from anywhere between the alveoli and the condenser

26
Q

What are some advantages of using exhled breath condensate (EBC)

A

Non-invasive and simple

Safe

Performed in different settings

Repeated severeal times with short intervals

27
Q

What are some limitations of using exhaled breath condensate

A
  • Can’t determine anatomic source of mediators
  • can only measure soluble mediators
  • Nasal or oral contamination
  • No reference values
  • Lots of confounders (what you’ve eaten, flow rate)
28
Q

Breifly outline the concept behind single breath measurement of bronchial blood flow

A

Begins with tidal breathing

Subject inhales gas mixture of known concentrations

Slow exhalation to residual volume

Measure the ratio of inert and highly solube:inert and highly insoluble through mass spectrometer

↓soluble gas = ↑blood flow in bronchial vessels

29
Q

Describe the concept behind synthetic absorptive matrix (SAM) sampling

A

Nasal or through bronchoscopy

Absorbs and sample epithelial lining fluid (ELF)

Elute sample and analyse proteins

30
Q

SAM is quite new but shows potential in that it has a _____ correlation in CXCL8 between the bronchus and _____. It has also shown differences in CXCL and other mediators in diseases like _____.

A

SAM is quite new but shows potential in that it has a positive correlation in CXCL8 between the bronchus and nasopharynx. It has also shown differences in CXCL and other mediators in diseases like COPD.