Nathalie Chérot-Kornobis1, Sébastien Hulo2, Jonathan Giovannelli3, Virginie de Broucker4, Régis Matran5, Philippe Amouyel6, Annie Sobaszek7, Luc Dauchet8, Jean-Louis Edmé9. 1. Univ. Lille, EA4483 - IMPECS (IMPact of Environmental ChemicalS on Human Health), F-59000 Lille, France; CHU Lille, Service Médecine du Travail du Personnel Hospitalier et de Pathologies Professionnelles et Environnementales, F-59000 Lille, France. Electronic address: nathalie.cherot@univ-lille2.fr. 2. Univ. Lille, EA4483 - IMPECS (IMPact of Environmental ChemicalS on Human Health), F-59000 Lille, France; CHU Lille, Service explorations fonctionnelles Respiratoires, F-59000 Lille, France. Electronic address: sebastien.hulo@univ-lille2.fr. 3. Univ. Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, INSERM U1167 - RID-AGE Facteurs de Risque et déterminant moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement, F-59000 Lille, France; CHU Lille, Service épidémiologie, économie de la santé et prévention, F-59000 Lille, France. Electronic address: jonathan.giovannelli@chru-lille.fr. 4. Univ. Lille, EA4483 - IMPECS (IMPact of Environmental ChemicalS on Human Health), F-59000 Lille, France; CHU Lille, Service explorations fonctionnelles Respiratoires, F-59000 Lille, France. Electronic address: virginie.debroucker@chru-lille.fr. 5. Univ. Lille, EA4483 - IMPECS (IMPact of Environmental ChemicalS on Human Health), F-59000 Lille, France; CHU Lille, Service explorations fonctionnelles Respiratoires, F-59000 Lille, France. Electronic address: regis.matran@univ-lille2.fr. 6. Univ. Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, INSERM U1167 - RID-AGE Facteurs de Risque et déterminant moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement, F-59000 Lille, France; CHU Lille, Service épidémiologie, économie de la santé et prévention, F-59000 Lille, France. Electronic address: philippe.amouyel@pasteur-lille.fr. 7. Univ. Lille, EA4483 - IMPECS (IMPact of Environmental ChemicalS on Human Health), F-59000 Lille, France; CHU Lille, Service Médecine du Travail du Personnel Hospitalier et de Pathologies Professionnelles et Environnementales, F-59000 Lille, France. Electronic address: annie.sobaszek@chru-lille.fr. 8. Univ. Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, INSERM U1167 - RID-AGE Facteurs de Risque et déterminant moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement, F-59000 Lille, France; CHU Lille, Service épidémiologie, économie de la santé et prévention, F-59000 Lille, France. Electronic address: luc.dauchet@pasteur-lille.fr. 9. Univ. Lille, EA4483 - IMPECS (IMPact of Environmental ChemicalS on Human Health), F-59000 Lille, France; CHU Lille, Service explorations fonctionnelles Respiratoires, F-59000 Lille, France. Electronic address: jean-louis.edme@univ-lille2.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Biomarkers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) are potentially sensitive indicators of early biochemical changes in airways following exposure to pneumotoxic substances, particularly in susceptible subjects. NOx are the stable end products of the nitrite-nitrate-NO oxidative stress pathway and can be used to monitor airway inflammatory diseases, especially in asthma. Nevertheless, population-based surveys are needed to better interpret EBC NOx levels in clinical studies. The aim of this study was to establish reference values of EBC NOx in a large group of middle-aged, healthy adults of a sample of the general population with particular focus on the smoking status. METHODS: The EBC NOx levels were analysed from 2872 subjects among the ELISABET population-based cross sectional study including a representative sample of men and women aged from 40 to 66 years olds conducted in northern France, which included comprehensive questionnaires by interview and spirometry data. Healthy participants were defined as participants with no self-reported respiratory disease. RESULTS: For the healthy subjects (n = 1251), the median NOx concentration (IQR) was equal to 7.2 μM (3.12) and concentrations of NOx in EBC did not differ significantly according to smoking status. The upper fifth percentile (95%) (ULN) of NOx concentrations among healthy subjects was equal to 13.6 μM, ranging from 12.7 μM (smokers) to 14.4 μM (ex smokers). Among subjects with EBC NOx values higher than the ULN and compared with subjects that had EBC NOx values lower than the ULN, we found a significant higher proportion of subjects with current asthma (10.5% vs 6.5%) or with chronic bronchitis symptoms (7.6% vs 3.3%). CONCLUSION: This population-based study has provided the distribution and the upper limit reference value of a nitrosative stress biomarker (NOx) in EBC of middle aged, healthy adults. EBC NOx levels were not associated with smoking status.
BACKGROUND: Biomarkers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) are potentially sensitive indicators of early biochemical changes in airways following exposure to pneumotoxic substances, particularly in susceptible subjects. NOx are the stable end products of the nitrite-nitrate-NO oxidative stress pathway and can be used to monitor airway inflammatory diseases, especially in asthma. Nevertheless, population-based surveys are needed to better interpret EBC NOx levels in clinical studies. The aim of this study was to establish reference values of EBC NOx in a large group of middle-aged, healthy adults of a sample of the general population with particular focus on the smoking status. METHODS: The EBC NOx levels were analysed from 2872 subjects among the ELISABET population-based cross sectional study including a representative sample of men and women aged from 40 to 66 years olds conducted in northern France, which included comprehensive questionnaires by interview and spirometry data. Healthy participants were defined as participants with no self-reported respiratory disease. RESULTS: For the healthy subjects (n = 1251), the median NOx concentration (IQR) was equal to 7.2 μM (3.12) and concentrations of NOx in EBC did not differ significantly according to smoking status. The upper fifth percentile (95%) (ULN) of NOx concentrations among healthy subjects was equal to 13.6 μM, ranging from 12.7 μM (smokers) to 14.4 μM (ex smokers). Among subjects with EBC NOx values higher than the ULN and compared with subjects that had EBC NOx values lower than the ULN, we found a significant higher proportion of subjects with current asthma (10.5% vs 6.5%) or with chronic bronchitis symptoms (7.6% vs 3.3%). CONCLUSION: This population-based study has provided the distribution and the upper limit reference value of a nitrosative stress biomarker (NOx) in EBC of middle aged, healthy adults. EBC NOx levels were not associated with smoking status.