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. 2006;2006(5):72620.
doi: 10.1155/MI/2006/72620.

Exhaled nitric oxide is decreased by exposure to the hyperbaric oxygen therapy environment

Zudin A Puthucheary  1 , Jia Liu, Michael Bennett, Barbara Trytko, Sharron Chow, Paul S Thomas
Affiliations

Exhaled nitric oxide is decreased by exposure to the hyperbaric oxygen therapy environment

Zudin A Puthucheary et al. Mediators Inflamm. 2006.

Abstract

Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) detects airway inflammation. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is used for tissue hypoxia, but can cause lung damage. We measured eNO following inhalation of oxygen at different tensions and pressures.

Methods: Part 1, eNO was measured before and after HBOT. Part 2, normal subjects breathed 40% oxygen.

Results: Baseline eNO levels in patients prior to HBOT exposure were significantly higher than in normal subjects (P < .05). After HBOT, eNO significantly decreased in patients (15.4 +/- 2.0 versus 4.4 +/- 0.5 ppb, P < .001), but not in normal subjects, after either 100% O2 at increased pressure or 40% oxygen, 1 ATA. In an in vitro study, nitrate/nitrite release decreased after 90 minutes HBOT in airway epithelial (A549) cells.

Conclusion: HBO exposure causes a fall in eNO. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) may cause elevated eNO in patients secondary to inflammation, and inhibition of iNOS may be the mechanism of the reduction of eNO seen with HBOT.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Exhaled nitric oxide levels in 15 patients undergoing HBOT immediately before and after treatment. There was a significant fall in these patients (mean ± SE, before 15.4 ± 2.0 ppb, afterwards 4.4 ± 0.5 ppb, P < .001).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Exhaled nitric oxide levels in 16 normal staff members who were exposed to the hyperbaric environment but did not use oxygen until immediately prior to decompression. There were no significant changes between the samples.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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