title: Breath pentane analysis as an index of lipid peroxidation: a functional test of vitamin E status.
abstract: Pentane, which evolves from the reaction involving omega-6 fatty acids, is a good index of lipid peroxidation. We describe a method for measuring breath pentane excretion in adult humans. After a 4-minute washout period, expired air was analyzed by gas chromatography. Breath was passed through a cooled loop of alumina to adsorb, concentrate, and release, on heating, pentane. Pentane was analyzed by a Porasil-D column with a derived calibration curve. The mean excretion of pentane in 10 normal adults was 6.34 +/- 0.96 pmol X kg-1 X min-1 (mean +/- SEM) and was significantly higher in five patients with plasma vitamin E deficiency (15.39 +/- 1.84 pmol X kg-1 X min-1). There was a significant negative correlation between pentane output and plasma vitamin E levels (r = -0.66, p less than 0.01). Moreover, breath pentane excretion was significantly decreased after a 10-d supplementation with vitamin E in five normal subjects. We conclude that breath pentane output is a sensitive, noninvasive, functional test for assessing vitamin E status.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total / Q000009:adverse effects; D010420:Pentanes / Q000032:analysis*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism*; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D010420:Pentanes; D014810:Vitamin E