Chemiluminescent measurements of nitric oxide pulmonary diffusing capacity and alveolar production in humans

surements of nitric oxide pulmonary diffusing capacity and alveolar production in humans. J Appl Physiol 91: 1931–1940, 2001.—Measurements of nitric oxide (NO) pul-monary diffusing capacity (DLNO) multiplied by alveolar NO partial pressure (PANO) provide values for alveolar NO pro-duction (V̇ANO). We evaluated applying a rapidly responding chemiluminescent NO analyzer to measure DLNO during a single, constant exhalation (DexNO) or by rebreathing (DrbNO). With the use of an initial inspiration of 5–10 parts/ million of NO with a correction for the measured NO back pressure, DexNO in nine healthy subjects equaled 125 6 29 (SD) ml zmin21 zmmHg21 and DrbNO equaled 122 6 26 ml zmin21 zmmHg21. These values were 4.7 6 0.6 and 4.6 6 0.6 times greater, respectively, than the subject’s single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DsbCO). Coeffi