Method and apparatus for the measurement of exhaled nitric oxide in humans
DCFirst Claim
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1. An apparatus for measuring nitric oxide exhaled from the lungs of a person comprising:
- (a) conduit means for receiving the air exhaled by the person;
(b) means for introducing resistance in said conduit means for increasing the pressure in the mouth of the person during exhalation to substantially close the vellum and exclude nitric oxide emerging from the nasal cavity and to maintain a constant flow rate of said air exhaled by the person; and
,(c) measuring means for measuring the nitric oxide concentration in said exhaled air.
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Abstract
An apparatus for measuring nitric oxide exhaled from the lungs of a person comprises
(a) a conduit for receiving the air exhaled by the person;
(b) a resistor for increasing the pressure in the mouth of the person during exhalation to close the nasopharynx and to maintain a constant flow rate of said air exhaled by the person; and,
(c) measuring means for measuring the nitric oxide concentration in said exhaled air.
61 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring nitric oxide exhaled from the lungs of a person comprising:
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(a) conduit means for receiving the air exhaled by the person; (b) means for introducing resistance in said conduit means for increasing the pressure in the mouth of the person during exhalation to substantially close the vellum and exclude nitric oxide emerging from the nasal cavity and to maintain a constant flow rate of said air exhaled by the person; and
,(c) measuring means for measuring the nitric oxide concentration in said exhaled air. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of measuring nitric oxide exhaled from the lungs of a person into a test circuit comprising, during exhalation, increasing the pressure in the mouth of the person by introducing resistance into the test circuit sufficient to substantially close the nasopharynx and to maintain a constant flow rate of said air exhaled by the person;
- and, measuring the nitric oxide concentration in said exhaled air.
- View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A method for measuring nitric oxide exhaled by a subject, comprising the steps of:
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causing the subject to exhale by mouth into an apparatus for receiving exhaled air; wherein said apparatus comprises means to increase the pressure in the mouth of the subject to a level sufficient to cause the vellum of the subject to substantially close and thereby exclude nitric oxide of nasal origin that otherwise would enter the air stream via the nasopharynx during exhalation; and measuring the level of nitric oxide of the collected exhaled breath. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification