PURPOSE: Although the analogy of @entity842 (NO) to Endothelium-derived Relaxing Factor remains controversial, medical use of exogenous NO gas by inhalation has grown exponentially. This review presents the mechanisms of action of inhaled NO in @entity120 , hypoxaemia, @entity32 and @entity4 , as well as its therapeutic and diagnostic indications with emphasis on @entity649 ( @entity649 ) and toxicology. SOURCE: Two medical databases (Current Contents, Medline) were searched for citations containing the above-mentioned key words to December 1996. Moreover, many presentations in congresses such as 4th International Meeting of Biology of @entity842 , 52nd and 53rd Annual Meeting of Canadian Anaesthetists' Society or 10th Annual Meeting of European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiologists were used. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Inhaled NO is now recognized as an invaluable tool in neonatal and paediatric critical care, and for heart/lung surgery. Other clinical applications in adults, such as @entity1030 and @entity649 , require a cautious approach. The inhaled NO therapy is fairly inexpensive, but it would seem that it is not indicated for everybody with regards to the paradigm of its efficiency and potential @entity137 . The recent discovery of its anti-inflammatory and extrapulmonary effects open new horizons for future applications. CONCLUSION: Clinical use of inhaled NO was mostly reported in case series, properly designed clinical trials must now be performed to establish its real therapeutic role. These trials would permit adequate selection of the @entity74 , and subsequently the @entity1 that would maximally benefit from inhaled NO therapy.

Inhaled XXXX : clinical applications, indications, and toxicology.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity32 :: ('MESH:D007249', 'Disease') :: ['inflammation'] @entity137 :: ('MESH:D064420', 'Disease') :: ['toxicity'] @entity4 :: ('MESH:D004487', 'Disease') :: ['oedema'] @entity649 :: ('MESH:D012128', 'Disease') :: ['ARDS', 'acute respiratory distress syndrome'] @entity120 :: ('MESH:D006976', 'Disease') :: ['pulmonary hypertension'] @entity842 :: ('MESH:D009569', 'Chemical') :: ['Nitric Oxide', 'nitric oxide'] @entity74 :: ('MESH:D030342', 'Disease') :: ['cardiopulmonary disorders'] @entity1030 :: ('MESH:D029424', 'Disease') :: ['chronic obstructive pulmonary disease']
@entity842 :: (MESH:D009569,Chemical) :: ['nitric oxide']
