What Researchers Did
Researchers compared exhaled nitric oxide components in 12 patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy and 20 healthy subjects exposed to normobaric hyperoxia to a control group breathing ambient air.
What They Found
Exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)) at 50 ml x s(-1) decreased from 17.6 +/- 8.3 to 12.3 +/- 6.3 ppb after hyperbaric oxygen and from 17.8 +/- 6.2 to 13.3 +/- 5.2 ppb after normobaric hyperoxia. This reduction was primarily due to a significant decrease in bronchial nitric oxide flux (JawNO), while alveolar nitric oxide concentration (C(A)NO) remained unchanged.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada nor involved Canadian researchers or patients.
Study Limitations
The study involved a relatively small number of participants, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.