Objective: To assess the lung production of nitric oxide (NO) in patients with systemic sclerosis.
Methods: The NO concentration and its rate of production by the lungs were measured in the exhaled air in 14 patients with systemic sclerosis and in 12 healthy control subjects using the chemiluminescent method.
Results: The NO concentration and its rate of production were significantly increased in scleroderma patients (mean +/- SEM, 18.7 +/- 1.7 ppb and 5.8 +/- 0.5 nmol/min, respectively), as compared with control subjects (11.2 +/- 0.8 ppb and 4.3 +/- 0.4 nmol/min, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively).
Conclusion: The pulmonary production of NO is increased in scleroderma patients, which might reflect and contribute to the inflammatory processes of the lungs in systemic sclerosis.