Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Pulmonary 15NO uptake in Man

  • Respiratory System
  • Published:
Pflügers Archiv Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is commonly thought to reveal more precise values of pulmonary gas uptake through alveolar-capillary membranes (DL) than the normally used carbon monoxide (CO). Since such measurements are influenced by a significant endogenous NO delivery within human airways, we propose the use of the naturally occurring 15N-labelled stable nitric oxide isotope 15NO. It occurs with a relative abundance of 0.37% of the dominating isotope 14NO. Therefore, the endogenous 15NO production can be neglected. In the present pilot study we demonstrate the workability of 15NO in determining DL in healthy individuals. In seven female and 15 male volunteers, averaged values of DL increase with increasing mean alveolar volume as well as individual body height (P=0.000001). Due to the very high significance level obtained from the multiple regression analysis, we conclude that the application of 15NO establishes a novel approach to calculate standard values of DL. Such calculations can be employed to predict a reference for patients who suffer from pulmonary diffusion limitation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. American Thoracic Society (1995) Single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity: recommendations for a standard technique – 1995 update. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 152:2185–2198

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Anderson SR, Antonini E (1968) The binding of carbon monoxide by human hemoglobin. J Biol Chem 243:2918–2920

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Bohr C (1909) Über die spezifische Tätigkeit der Lungen bei der respiratorischen Gasaufnahme. Skand Arch Physiol 22:221–280

    Google Scholar 

  4. Borland CDR, Higenbottam TW (1989) A simultaneous single breath measurement of pulmonary diffusing capacity with nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. Eur Respir J 2:56–63

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Borland C, Chamberlain A, Higenbottam TW (1983) The fate of inhaled nitric oxide. Clin Sci 65:37

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Cassoly R, Gibson QH (1975) Conformation, cooperativity and ligand binding in human hemoglobin. J Mol Biol 91:301–313

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Fick A (1855) Ueber Diffusion. (Poggendorff's) Ann Phys Chem Folge 94:59–86

    Google Scholar 

  8. Forbes WH, Sargent F, Roughton FJW (1943) Rate of CO uptake by normal man. Am J Physiol 143:594–608

    Google Scholar 

  9. Graham BL, Dosman JA, Cotton DJ (1980) A theoretical analysis of the single breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 27:221–227

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Guénard H, Varène N, Vaida P (1987) Determination of lung capillary blood volume and membrane diffusing capacity in man by the measurements of NO and CO transfer. Respir Physiol 70:113–120

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Gustafsson LE, Leone AM, Persson MG, Wiklund NP, Moncada S (1991) Endogenous nitric oxide is present in the exhaled air of rabbits, guinea pigs and humans. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 181:852–857

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Heller H, Schuster K-D (1997) Single-breath diffusing capacity of NO independent of inspiratory NO concentration in rabbits. Am J Physiol 273:R2055–R2058

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Heller H, Schuster K-D (1998) Nitric oxide used to test pulmonary gas exchange in rabbits. Pflugers Arch 437:94–97

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Koch M, Luo X, Mürtz P, Urban W (1997) Detection of small traces of15N2 and 14N2 by Faraday LMR spectroscopy of the corresponding isotopomers of nitric oxide. Appl Phys B64:683–688

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Massaro AF, Mehta S, Lilly CM, Kobzik L, Reilly JJ, Drazen JM (1996) Elevated nitric oxide concentrations in isolated lower airway gas of asthmatic subjects. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 153:1510–1514

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. McKellar ARW (1981) Mid-infrared laser magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Faraday Discuss Chem Soc 71:63

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Mürtz P, Menzel L, Bloch W, Hess A, Michel O, Urban W (1999) LMR spectroscopy: a new sensitive method for on-line recording of nitric oxide in breath. J Appl Physiol 86:1075–1080

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Ogilvie CM, Forster RE, Blakemore WS, Morton JW (1957) A standardized breath holding technique for the clinical measurement of the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. J Clin Invest 36:1–17

    Google Scholar 

  19. Schuster K-D (1985) Kinetics of pulmonary CO2 transfer studied by using labeled carbon dioxide C16O18O. Respir Physiol 60:21–37

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Thews G (1963) Die theoretischen Grundlagen der Sauerstoffaufnahme in der Lunge. Ergebn Physiol 53:42–107

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Tsoukias NM, Dabdub D, Wilson AF, George SC (2000) Effect of alveolar volume and sequential filling on the diffusing capacity of the lungs: II. Experiment. Respir Physiol 120:251–271

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Urban W (1991) The carbon monoxide laser as spectroscopic source. Laser Optoelektronik 23:56–61

    Google Scholar 

  23. Urban W (1995) Physics and spectroscopic applications of carbon monoxide lasers, a review. Infrared Phys Technol 36:465–473

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from Lothar Neumann (Erich Jaeger, Hoechberg, Germany) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). The authors thank Professor Dr. F.X. Kleber (Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin, Germany) for financing the ethanol-cooling system.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Bonn, Nussallee 11, 53115 , Bonn, Germany

    H. Heller, S. Brandt, K. Granitza, B. Eixmann, C. Franz & K.-D. Schuster

  2. Institute of Applied Physics, University of Bonn, 53115 , Bonn, Germany

    A. Jentsch, T. Breitbach, Y. Utkin & W. Urban

  3. INVIVO GmbH, Institute for Trace Gas Technology, 53757 , Sankt Augustin, Germany

    R. Gäbler

Authors
  1. H. Heller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. Gäbler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Brandt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Jentsch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. K. Granitza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. B. Eixmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. T. Breitbach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. C. Franz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Y. Utkin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. W. Urban
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. K.-D. Schuster
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. Heller.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Heller, H., Gäbler, R., Brandt, S. et al. Pulmonary 15NO uptake in Man. Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol 446, 256–260 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-003-1014-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-003-1014-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation