DEVICE FOR ANALYSING AN INFLAMMATORY STATUS OF A RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

• US 20100185112A1
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Vink, Teunis, Kalkman, Jeroen, Van Kesteren, Hans Willem, Willard, Nicolaas Petrus, Saalmink, Milan
• Application Number:
  US12/666,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/1702 with opto-acoustic detection, e.g. for gases or analysing solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath

Abstract

A device (100) for measuring a concentration of NO in exhaled air is provided. The device (100) comprises a mouthpiece (11), an NO sensor (12), an airway obstruction measurement and an analysis module. The mouthpiece (11) receives the exhaled air during an exhalation. The NO sensor (12) measures the concentration of NO in the exhaled air. The airway obstruction measurement module determines an airway obstruction parameter. The analysis module (16) analyzes an inflammatory status of a respiratory system based on a combination of the measured concentration of NO and the determined airway obstruction parameter.

Claims

1. A device (100) for measuring a concentration of NO in exhaled air, the device (100) comprising:

a mouthpiece (11) for receiving the exhaled air during an exhalation,

an NO sensor (12) for measuring the concentration of NO in the exhaled air,

an airway obstruction measurement module for determining an airway obstruction parameter, and

an analysis module (16) for analyzing an inflammatory status of a respiratory system based on a combination of the measured concentration of NO and the determined airway obstruction parameter.

2. A device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the airway obstruction measurement module comprises a CO₂ sensor (13) for measuring a time course of a concentration of CO₂ in the exhaled air.

3. A device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the airway obstruction measurement module comprises an O₂ sensor for measuring a time course of a concentration of O₂ in the exhaled air.

4. A device (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a flow or pressure sensor (14) for measuring an exhalation flow.

5. A device (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an NO scrubber (15) for enabling a user of the device (100) to inhale NO-free air.

6. A device (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pressure regulator (44) to generate overpressure during exhalation to close the soft palate.