Compounds enhanced in a mass spectrometric profile of smokers' exhaled breath versus non-smokers as determined in a pilot study using PTR-MS

(1) Background: L-arginine (L-ARG) and its metabolites are involved in some aspects of asthma pathogenesis (airway inflammation, oxidative stress, bronchial responsiveness, collagen deposition). Published data indicate that lungs are a critical organ for the regulation of L-ARG metabolism and that alterations in L-ARG metabolism may be significant for asthma. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of L-ARG and its metabolites in pediatric patients with asthma in serum and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) by mass spectrometric analysis and compare them with non-asthmatic children. (2) Methods: Sixty-five children (37 pediatric patients with bronchial asthma and 28 healthy control subjects) aged 6–17 participated in the study. All participants underwent a clinical visit, lung tests, allergy tests with common aeroallergens, and serum and EBC collection. The levels of biomarkers were determined in both serum and EBC. Analytical chromatography was conducted using an Acquity UPLC system equipped with a cooled autosampler and an Acquity HSS T3 column. Mass spectrometric analysis was conducted using the Xevo G2 QTOF MS with electrospray ionization (ESI) in positive ion mode. (3) Results: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) levels in serum and EBC did not differ significantly in asthmatic children and healthy control subjects. We found no correlation between forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and L-ARG and its metabolites, as well as between interleukin-4 (IL-4) serum level and L-ARG and its metabolites. Concentrations of ADMA, SDMA, citrulline (CIT), and ornithine (ORN) were higher in serum than EBC in asthmatics and non-asthmatics. By contrast, concentrations of dimethylarginine (DMA) were higher in EBC than serum. ADMA/L-ARG, SDMA/L-ARG, and DMA/L-ARG ratios were significantly higher in EBC than in serum in asthmatics and in non-asthmatics. (4) Conclusions: Serum and EBC concentrations of L-ARG and its metabolites were not an indicator of pediatric bronchial asthma in our study.

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Exhaled Breath Condensate: Pilot Study of the Method and Initial Experience in Healthy Subjects

Acta Medica (Hradec Kralove Czech Republic) ◽

10.14712/18059694.2018.17 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. 8-16

Author(s):

Eva Peterová ◽

Jaroslav Chládek ◽

Darina Kohoutová ◽

Veronika Knoblochová ◽

Paula Morávková ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Healthy Volunteers ◽

Coefficient Of Variation ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Lung Diseases ◽

Exhaled Breath Condensate ◽

Exhaled Breath ◽

Initial Experience ◽

Major Disadvantage ◽

Breath Condensate

Analysis of Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is a re-discovered approach to monitoring the course of the disease and reduce invasive methods of patient investigation. However, the major disadvantage and shortcoming of the EBC is lack of reliable and reproducible standardization of the method. Despite many articles published on EBC, until now there is no clear consensus on whether the analysis of EBC can provide a clue to diagnosis of the diseases. The purpose of this paper is to investigate our own method, to search for possible standardization and to obtain our own initial experience. Thirty healthy volunteers provided the EBC, in which we monitored the density, pH, protein, chloride and urea concentration. Our results show that EBC pH is influenced by smoking, and urea concentrations are affected by the gender of subjects. Age of subjects does not play a role. The smallest coefficient of variation between individual volunteers is for density determination. Current limitations of EBC measurements are the low concentration of many biomarkers. Standardization needs to be specific for each individual biomarker, with focusing on optimal condensate collection. EBC analysis has a potential become diagnostic test, not only for lung diseases.

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Feasibility of Early Detection of Cystic Fibrosis Acute Pulmonary Exacerbations by Exhaled Breath Condensate Metabolomics: A Pilot Study

Journal of Proteome Research ◽

10.1021/acs.jproteome.6b00675 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 550-558 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Xiaoling Zang ◽

María Eugenia Monge ◽

Nael A. McCarty ◽

Arlene A. Stecenko ◽

Facundo M. Fernández

Keyword(s):

Cystic Fibrosis ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Early Detection ◽

Exhaled Breath Condensate ◽

Exhaled Breath ◽

Pulmonary Exacerbations ◽

Breath Condensate

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Breath Analysis Using eNose and Ion Mobility Technology to Diagnose Inflammatory Bowel Disease—A Pilot Study

Biosensors ◽

10.3390/bios9020055 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 55 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Tiele ◽

Wicaksono ◽

Kansara ◽

Arasaradnam ◽

Covington

Keyword(s):

Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Ion Mobility ◽

Bowel Disease ◽

Breath Analysis ◽

Diagnostic Tools ◽

Exhaled Breath ◽

Faecal Calprotectin ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Inflammatory Bowel

Early diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), remains a clinical challenge with current tests being invasive and costly. The analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath and biomarkers in stool (faecal calprotectin (FCP)) show increasing potential as non-invasive diagnostic tools. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the efficacy of breath analysis and determine if FCP can be used as an additional non-invasive parameter to supplement breath results, for the diagnosis of IBD. Thirty-nine subjects were recruited (14 CD, 16 UC, 9 controls). Breath samples were analysed using an in-house built electronic nose (Wolf eNose) and commercial gas chromatograph–ion mobility spectrometer (G.A.S. BreathSpec GC-IMS). Both technologies could consistently separate IBD and controls [AUC ± 95%, sensitivity, specificity], eNose: [0.81, 0.67, 0.89]; GC-IMS: [0.93, 0.87, 0.89]. Furthermore, we could separate CD from UC, eNose: [0.88, 0.71, 0.88]; GC-IMS: [0.71, 0.86, 0.62]. Including FCP did not improve distinction between CD vs UC; eNose: [0.74, 1.00, 0.56], but rather, improved separation of CD vs controls and UC vs controls; eNose: [0.77, 0.55, 1.00] and [0.72, 0.89, 0.67] without FCP, [0.81, 0.73, 0.78] and [0.90, 1.00, 0.78] with FCP, respectively. These results confirm the utility of breath analysis to distinguish between IBD-related diagnostic groups. FCP does not add significant diagnostic value to breath analysis within this study.

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