FeNo of 90?

[Zapx]

Went to gp after severe nagging from my mother(!) about a cough I’ve had for 7 months. They did a FeNo test and I got 90. Been given an inhaler to try and to come back in 8 weeks.

For people in the know, how likely is this to be asthma do you reckon? I’m 37 in case that’s relevant. Never been tested for asthma before.

I work as a respiratory nurse. A reading of 90 is high and definitely indicative of inflammation which we would normally associate with asthma. Did they give you a peak flow book and meter to monitor? If they did you should see an upward trend in the graph as the inflammation decreases with inhaler use. What inhaler did you get prescribed?

Yes that’s high. We would treat that as asthma with a combined steroid inhaler and arrange a follow up. Possibly do a full blood count a well.

Feno of over 50 with a history suggestive of asthma is diagnostic for asthma.

I would want to do spirometry with reversibility, ideally before much use of the inhaler but as soon as possible. And I’d want to repeat the Feno after a trial of steroid inhaler.

Asthma is likely with an elevated Feno as it suggests high levels of inflammation in the airways.

@Sidge that’s really interesting, thank you. They only spoke of doing spirometry after using the inhaler for 8 weeks unfortunately.

@Duidi123 thanks so so much. No peak flow book or meter. Got prescribed a turbo inhaler with beclometasone in it

@DemonsandMosquitoes thank you, that’s pretty much what happened but without the blood count.

Sounds like it probably is then. Much appreciated everybody!

I’d rather do spirometry sooner than later as with 8 weeks of steroid/combi inhaler use it might not be as useful, but I wouldn’t delay treatment to wait for spirometry.

I wouldn’t bother with peak flow diaries, they’re not as helpful and in adults Feno and spirometry are much more useful.

Hopefully you’ll feel much better before too long, the Symbicort should help quickly!

Is it Symbicort you have? This contains Budesonide.