Flüchtige organische Verbindungen in der Ausatemluft von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Asthma bronchiale

摘要

Inflammatory mediators in the exhaled breath are receiving growing medical interest as non-invasive disease markers. Voltaile organic compounds have been investigate in this context, but clinical information and methodological standards are limited. We measured the levels of ethane, propane, methanol, ethanol, acetone, 2-propanol, n-pentane, isoprene, dimethylesulfide, benzende, toluene, a-pinene, limonene and eucalytole in breath samples from 20 asthmatic patients and 20 healthy controls (age 9-23 years). Three end-exhaled and one ambient air sample were collected per person and analyzed by gas chromatography. The alveolar gradient for 2-propanol was higher in asthmatic patients than in healthy controls. We conclude that chemical breath analysis for volatile organic compounds is feasible and may hold potential for the non-invasive diagnosis and follow up of inflammatory process in asthmatic disease.