Changes to exhaled nitric oxide in asthmatic children after drinking a caffeine-containing cola drink

Steve Turner (1) , Ibrahim Abuzayan (2) , Untiveros Paraskevi (3)

1 Department of Child Health
2 Child Health
3 Child Health

Introduction. Exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) may be a biomarker for airway eosinophilia and of use in the management of childhood asthma. Caffeine ingestion has been associated with changes in FENO concentration in adults. The present study tested the hypothesis that ingestion of a caffeine-containing cola drink will increase FENO in asthmatic children. Methods. Exhaled NO was measured in children with asthma before, 30 and 60 minutes after taking a cola drink containing 2.5mg/kg caffeine. Intrasubject changes in FENO and flow independent NO parameters were determined including bronchial wall NO flux (J'awNO). Results. Eleven children with asthma were recruited, 10 were prescribed inhaled corticosteroids and 9 were skin prick positive. The median [interquartile range, IQR] FENO at baseline was 47 parts per billion [9, 64] and this rose to 56ppb [11, 66] after 30 minutes and returned to 46ppb [9, 62] after 60 minutes, Friedman's test p=0.003. J'awNO rose from a median [IQR] 2843nl/s [356, 4247] at baseline to 3304nl/s [479, 4387] after 30 minutes and returned to 2937nl/s [356, 4153] after 60 minutes, Freidman's test p=0.003. There was no significant change in other flow independent NO parameters. Conclusions. Ingestion of a caffeine-containing cola drink was associated with a modest and transient rise in FENO which is mostly explained by increased NO production in the proximal airways. Ingestion of a caffeine-containing cola drink does not result in clinically relevant acute changes in FENO for children with asthma.

Mots clés: Medicine

Steve Turner, Ibrahim Abuzayan, Untiveros Paraskevi. Changes to exhaled nitric oxide in asthmatic children after drinking a caffeine-containing cola drink. Pediatric Pulmonology, 2010, 45 (12), pp.1228. ⟨10.1002/ppul.21313⟩. ⟨hal-00599821⟩