title: Oxidant activity in expired breath of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome.
abstract: Hydrogen peroxide levels were measured in the breath condensate of 43 patients receiving mechanical ventilation. In 16 patients the mean breath condensate peroxide level was 1.68 +/- 0.35 mumol/l on the day they met diagnostic criteria for adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The peak breath condensate peroxide level in the 27 patients in whom ARDS did not develop was significantly lower (0.34 +/- 0.08 mumol/l). Plasma lysozyme, a measure of in-vivo neutrophil turnover, was significantly higher in ARDS than in non-ARDS patients (9.2 +/- 2.2 U/ml v 3.4 +/- 1.1 U/ml). These findings support the hypothesis that neutrophil activation and oxidant production are involved in the pathogenesis of ARDS.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Grum
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Ketai
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Boxer
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Devall
mesh_terms: D001944:Breath Tests; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000032:analysis*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009113:Muramidase / Q000097:blood; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D009113:Muramidase; D010100:Oxygen