Mese: Aprile 2026

Advancements in FeNO testing for better asthma control

Posted on

In 2019, 262 million people worldwide had asthma, with 455,000 deaths from the chronic condition1, stark figures that highlight asthma control still needs improvement. Most people living with asthma believe that no physical symptoms mean their asthma is controlled, but this is sadly not always the case. Airway inflammation is the underlying cause of asthma, something that cannot be seen and not always felt.

Many asthma patients feel fine until they don’t. Objectively measuring airway inflammation with Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) testing is a vital way to prevent exacerbations and improve overall asthma care.

Airway Inflammation Infographic - Advancements in FeNO Testing

What is FeNO and why does it matter2?

When airways are inflamed, they produce excess nitric oxide (NO), a gas that can be measured by performing a FeNO test. A FeNO test provides insight into a person’s airway inflammation by measuring NO levels in exhaled breath.

  • High FeNO levels indicate eosinophilic airway inflammation. The higher the reading, the more severe the inflammation is.

By measuring airway inflammation, healthcare professionals can use the results to aid an asthma diagnosis and tailor treatment appropriately.

Limitations of traditional asthma monitoring.

Taking a FeNO test with the NObreath - Advancements in FeNO Testing

Traditionally, clinicians have relied on patients relaying their symptoms, which doesn’t always give the full picture of a person’s asthma. Many people believe that because they have asthma, they should have a cough and they should have a wheeze, and they downplay their symptoms.

Providing a FeNO test at regular asthma reviews empowers healthcare professionals to detect airway inflammation early, allowing them to monitor medication response and personalise treatment. This ultimately can catch an exacerbation early and get patients back on track with well-controlled asthma.

Additionally, medication adherence rates range from 30% to 70%3. A patient may report taking their medication regularly and using the correct technique; however, a quick, easy FeNO test can reveal poor adherence. Showing a patient their airway inflammation can create an opportunity to discuss and reinforce the importance of good adherence and technique.

Recent advancements in FeNO testing.

NObreath device - Advancements in FeNO Testing

In the 1990s, researchers found that FeNO served as a non-invasive biomarker of airway inflammation and used chemiluminescence to measure it. This method proved very costly due to regular maintenance and calibration, and difficult to access because of the machines’ size and the specialist training required.

In recent years, this has advanced to electrochemical sensor technology, enabling more cost-effective, portable FeNO devices like the NObreath®, whilst still matching the gold-standard technology of chemiluminescence. Thanks to continuous innovation, FeNO devices are now accessible at the point of care and provide instant results, improving patient outcomes.

To learn more about chemiluminescence and electrochemical sensor technology, read our article here.

In the late 1990s, FeNO began to appear in international clinical practice guidelines for asthma, and the American Thoracic Society (ATS) officially recommended its use to assess airway inflammation in adults and children in 20114.

Since then, FeNO testing has been recommended in asthma guidelines across the world, with the most recent joint guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the British Thoracic Society (BTS), and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), recommending FeNO as a first-line test for asthma diagnosis5.

To learn more about the global guidelines on asthma care and management, read our article here.

The NObreath® FeNO device

The NObreath® was developed in 2008, designed with healthcare professionals and patients in mind. It provides a non-invasive, fairly priced option for FeNO testing, making it more accessible to healthcare providers worldwide.

Featuring an adult and child test mode, the NObreath® is suitable for all settings thanks to its accuracy and portability. It requires an exhalation-only manoeuvre, making it a quick and easy test to take for both adults and children.

The device was designed with the patient in mind and features multiple flow incentive screens. These incentive screens not only engage the patient, but they also ensure a correct flow rate of 50 ml/s, providing an accurate test result.

To learn more about FeNO testing with the NObreath®, visit the website here.

Child test with the NObreath - Advancements in FeNO Testing

Many deaths from asthma are thought to be preventable, meaning better asthma care is needed. Advances in FeNO testing have been instrumental in improving asthma control, and with increasing recognition in global asthma guidelines, FeNO testing can make a difference.

To learn more about Bedfont® Scientific Limited, world leaders in breath analysis with over 49 years of expertise in the medical device industry, visit the website here.

References

  1. World Health Organization. Asthma [Internet]. World Health Organization. 2024. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/asthma
  2. NHS England. NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative» Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) [Internet]. www.england.nhs.uk. 2025. Available from: https://www.england.nhs.uk/aac/what-we-do/innovation-for-healthcare-inequalities-programme/rapid-uptake-products/fractional-exhaled-nitric-oxide/
  3. ‌Improving adherence in Asthma treatment | Cambridge Network [Internet]. Cambridgenetwork.co.uk. 2024. Available from: https://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/news/improving-adherence-asthma-treatment
  4. ‌Dweik RA, Boggs PB, Erzurum SC, Irvin CG, Leigh MW, Lundberg JO, et al. An official ATS clinical practice guideline: interpretation of exhaled nitric oxide levels (FENO) for clinical applications. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine [Internet]. 2011;184(5):602–15. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21885636/
  5. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Overview | Asthma: diagnosis, monitoring and chronic asthma management (BTS, NICE, SIGN) | Guidance | NICE [Internet]. Nice.org.uk. NICE; 2024. Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG245

Turning awareness into action: Expanding access to better asthma care this Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

Posted on

Over 28 million people in the United States (US) have asthma1,2, with the condition named as the leading chronic disease in children, affecting approximately 4.9 million under the age of 182,3. In the US, asthma is one of the most common and costly diseases, and these stark figures highlight why asthma still matters, even in 2026. This Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, we are exploring the prevalence of asthma and how advancing technology can make a difference.

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

Asthma places a significant burden on healthcare and the economy, with annual economic costs between 2008 and 2013 contributing to:

  • $3 billion in losses due to missed work and school days,
  • $29 billion due to asthma-related mortality,
  • $50.3 billion in medical costs.

The numbers prove that asthma is common, but it is important to remember that this chronic condition is also manageable; however, outcomes are not equal, and certain populations are disproportionately affected. These disparities are shaped by a combination of structural, social, biological, and behavioural factors. Structural inequities, such as5:

  • Systemic racism,
  • Residential segregation,
  • Discriminatory policies,

Often influence the conditions in which people live, work, and access care. These, in turn, affect social determinants like income, education, housing quality, environmental exposures, and access to healthcare. While biological factors such as genetics and individual behaviours like smoking or medication adherence play a role, it is these broader social and structural inequities that largely drive unequal asthma outcomes across populations.

The hidden problem: Poor asthma control

Millions of people are diagnosed with asthma, with many of them not having the condition well managed. It is estimated that 44% of children with asthma have uncontrolled asthma6, which can lead to exacerbations and severe asthma attacks.

Many asthma patients rely heavily on rescue inhalers, which relieve the immediate symptoms but do not address the underlying airway inflammation. This quick relief can make patients feel in control of their asthma, but without addressing the root cause, asthma remains uncontrolled beneath the surface.

Another contributor to poorly controlled asthma is misdiagnosis. Asthma is not a single condition; it can be allergic/eosinophilic or non-eosinophilic. If the asthma is not diagnosed correctly, this can lead to ineffective or over/under treatment. If the underlying asthma type isn’t properly diagnosed, the treatment cannot be matched to the disease type.

Additionally, a lack of objective measurement in routine care can affect asthma control. Traditionally, asthma management has relied on:

  • Symptoms,
  • Patient recall,
  • Peak flow.

The problem with just focusing on these points is that clinicians may over- or underestimate control, which leads to escalating or reducing treatment inappropriately. Symptoms do not always reflect underlying inflammation and may lead to missed opportunities for early intervention.

Better Asthma Care

This is where better access to objective, point-of-care tools, such as Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) testing, is needed. Without objective measurement, asthma care often relies on what can be seen and heard, not on what’s happening at the inflammatory level inside.

What is FeNO testing7?

A FeNO test is a quick, easy, non-invasive way to measure airway inflammation, specifically eosinophilic inflammation. When airways are inflamed, higher levels of nitric oxide (NO) are produced. This gas can be detected in exhaled breath, with higher levels indicating inflammation, making FeNO testing a vital tool for asthma care and management.

FeNO Testing with the NObreath®

With FeNO providing a non-invasive, quick point-of-care test, it can help identify type 2 inflammation and predict steroid responsiveness, helping clinicians see inflammation that symptoms alone cannot reveal.

How FeNO improves decision-making

FeNO fits into the whole asthma pathway; it’s not just a diagnostic tool; it can also help treat and manage asthma. Diagnosing and managing this chronic condition isn’t always straightforward, and in the past, healthcare professionals have relied on guesswork. FeNO testing changes that, it can:

  • Support a diagnosis of asthma,
  • Guide inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use,
  • Monitor medication adherence,
  • Predict exacerbation risk,
  • Reduce unnecessary medication escalation.
Child taking a FeNO test

FeNO is recognised in global guidelines for asthma care and management, with the ATS/ERS guidance positioning FeNO as a practical tool to support diagnosis, guide anti-inflammatory treatment, and monitor airway inflammation, helping clinicians move from symptom-based to more objective asthma care8.

Expanding access to FeNO testing

Objective testing has the potential to transform asthma care, but access remains a challenge. Limited availability outside specialist centres, time constraints in primary care, and geographic inequalities have all contributed to the underuse of tools such as FeNO. The result is a gap between what is possible and what is delivered in everyday care. Advances in technology only matter if people can access them.

Bedfont® Scientific Limited, an innovative MedTech company based in the UK with nearly 50 years of experience in medical breath analysis, has been improving asthma care and management worldwide for over 15 years with its NObreath® FeNO device. Working closely with its US distributor, coVita™, it has been working hard to improve access to FeNO testing by providing a fairly priced, low-maintenance FeNO device.

In 2025, the NObreath® became the allergists’ FeNO device of choice in the US, with Allergy Partners offering FeNO testing with the NObreath® through more than 125 locations in over 20 states. This partnership ensures that FeNO testing is being integrated into routine care, not just specialist settings, allowing more patients to get tested closer to home.

The future of asthma care

This Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, we want to focus on how early intervention can lead to better long-term outcomes for asthma patients. Advances in technology mean that objective testing, such as FeNO, is more widely accessible, which is vital as biomarker-driven care becomes the standard. FeNO devices like the NObreath® provide clinicians with more insight into underlying inflammation that cannot be seen, enabling improved patient care.

To learn more about the NObreath® FeNO device and how it is improving precision in asthma care, visit the website here.

NObreath® FeNO device

References

  1. NCHS/DHIS. NHIS Adult Summary Health Statistics [Internet]. Cdc.gov. 2021. Available from: https://data.cdc.gov/National-Center-for-Health-Statistics/NHIS-Adult-Summary-Health-Statistics/25m4-6qqq/about_data
  2. ‌NCHS/DHIS. NHIS Child Summary Health Statistics [Internet]. Cdc.gov. 2021. Available from: https://data.cdc.gov/National-Center-for-Health-Statistics/NHIS-Child-Summary-Health-Statistics/wxz7-ekz9/about_data
  3. ‌Ferrante G, La Grutta S. The Burden of Pediatric Asthma. Frontiers in Pediatrics [Internet]. 2018 Jun 22;6(186):1–7. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6023992/
  4. ‌Nurmagambetov T, Kuwahara R, Garbe P. The Economic Burden of Asthma in the United States, 2008–2013. Annals of the American Thoracic Society [Internet]. 2018 Mar;15(3):348–56. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29323930/
  5. ‌Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Asthma Disparities in America [Internet]. Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. 2020. Available from: https://aafa.org/asthma-allergy-research/our-research/asthma-disparities-burden-on-minorities/
  6. ‌CDC Archives [Internet]. archive.cdc.gov. Available from: https://archive.cdc.gov/#/details?url=https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/asthma_stats/uncontrolled-asthma-children-2018-2020.htm
  7. ‌What is a FeNO Test? [Internet]. Aaaai.org. 2021. Available from: https://www.aaaai.org/Tools-for-the-Public/Conditions-Library/Asthma/What-Is-A-FeNO-Test
  8. ‌Murphy RC, Zhang P, Tejwani V, Khatri SB, Hallstrand TS, Ruminjo JK, et al. Summary for Clinicians: Clinical Practice Guideline for the Use of Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide to Guide the Treatment of Asthma. Annals of the American Thoracic Society. 2022 Oct;19(10):1627–30.

Bedfont® becomes the first compassionate workplace accredited in Kent

Posted on

Embedding compassion into policies, practices and everyday actions.

Bedfont® Scientific Ltd. is a world leader in breath analysis, with over 49 years of expertise in designing and manufacturing medical devices. The innovative med-tech company, based in Harrietsham, was proud to receive the Compassionate Workplace accreditation from Heart of Kent Hospice, in partnership with Compassionate Communities UK, in December 2025.

Compassionate Communities UK is a UK charity dedicated to embedding compassion into everyday life, including workplaces. The charity is collaborating with various organisations, helping employers ensure they operate in a compassionate way for staff who are dealing with bereavement, death and loss or those who may be facing a terminal illness themselves.

Heart of Kent Hospice, a charity-run hospice providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care for adults, as well as their families, carers and loved ones, is supporting employers in the local area with the tools and confidence to have compassionate conversations about end-of-life, loss and bereavement in the workplace. They were thrilled to have awarded Bedfont® with the Compassionate Workplace accreditation in December 2025.

David Dadswell, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Heart of Kent Hospice, said, “Bedfont’s commitment to becoming the first accredited Compassionate Workplace is a powerful statement. By recognising the realities of grief, caring and serious illness, they are setting a new standard for what a truly supportive employer looks like. Prioritising compassion at work will make a meaningful difference to their staff and families across our community.”

Having supported the hospice since 2023, sponsoring its flagship Bluebell Walk events and Shaun the Sheep trail, Bedfont® joined Heart of Kent Hospice for a roundtable discussion to identify areas where the hospice could provide support, such as signposting and delivering training. During the accreditation process, it was highlighted that some areas of the business required improvement, and the hospice subsequently delivered a group training session focused on those areas.

Compassionate Workplace

After completing the assessment, Bedfont® became the first business in Kent to achieve Compassionate Workplace status, underscoring the company’s commitment to providing an environment where every staff member feels valued, supported and heard.

“Receiving the Compassionate Workplace accreditation is a deeply meaningful milestone for us.” Said Jason Smith, CEO at Bedfont® Scientific. “As the first organisation in Kent to achieve this recognition, we feel both proud and responsible to lead by example. At the heart of our organisation are people, and we believe work should be a place of understanding, dignity and care, particularly during life’s most challenging moments. This accreditation strengthens our commitment to creating a culture where compassion is embedded in our leadership, our policies and our everyday actions.”

Already committed to employee wellbeing, Bedfont® has strengthened its offerings for staff, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to approach difficult conversations and support those dealing with bereavement or terminal illness.

To learn more about Bedfont® and its support of Heart of Kent Hospice, visit the website here, and follow them on LinkedIn.

Back to top