THURSDAY, May 1, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- An innovative, non-invasive breath test to monitor how a patient responds to asthma treatments has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The NIOX system, manufactured by the Swedish firm Aerocrine AB, measures the amount of exhaled nitric oxide, a chemical marker for asthma. Changes in nitric oxide levels could well indicate whether a treatment for asthma is working, the FDA says.
The device includes a mouthpiece connected via a breathing tube to a computer. Users inhale nitric-oxide free air until their lungs fill, then exhale the air slowly. The device provides immediate feedback about the nitric oxide levels found in the patient's breath.
NIOX was approved based on clinical trials at nine U.S. medical centers involving 65 patients aged 4 and older. Most participants showed a 30 percent to 70 percent decrease in nitric oxide levels after two weeks of using an inhaled steroid, as compared to before the treatment began.
Asthma affects 15 million Americans, the FDA says, including 5 million children. Every year, the disease causes roughly 2 million emergency room visits, 500,000 hospitalizations and 4,500 deaths.
For more about the device, visit the manufacturer's Web site. To learn more about asthma, see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
