Levels of fractionated exhaled of nitric oxide (FeNO) can indicate whether patients with unexplained coughs need treatment with inhaled corticosteroids, according to ATS 2018 research reported by MedPage Today.

Patients who had a FeNO level greater than 50 ppb were more than twice as likely to improve on steroids treatment than patients who had lower levels of FeNO (P=0.046), said Victoria Carter, research operations director for the Singapore-based Observation and Pragmatic Research Institute.

For every 10 ppb increase in FeNO, the researchers calculated an odds ratio of 1.17 that steroids would bring improvement.

Read more at www.medpagetoday.com