title: Identification of Intrinsic Airway Acidification in Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
abstract: Exhaled breath condensate acidification reflects the presence of airway acidification. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an organism particularly sensitive to acidity. We aimed to determine if there is evidence of airway acidification in a cross section of patients with active tuberculosis.We enrolled 51 subjects with active tuberculosis in Ghana and Thailand, and compared them to control subjects. We collected exhaled breath condensate, and assayed for pH after gas standardization.Exhaled breath condensate pH from the control group revealed a median of 7.9 (7.7 - 8.0, n = 21), significantly higher than the active pulmonary tuberculosis patients who had a median pH of 7.4 (7.0 - 7.7; n = 51; p=0.002). Presence or absence of antibiotic therapy did not affect EBC pH values.These exhaled breath condensate data support the theory that airways become acidic in active tuberculosis infection. This may be a mechanism of immune response and pathology not previously considered.
authors.affiliation: Bangkok Allergy and Asthma Center Bangkok Hospital 2 Soi Soonvijai 7, New Petchburi Rd. Bangkpk 10310, Thailand  lina972@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ngamtrakulpanit
authors.forename: Yuanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adjei
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amoah
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gaston
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hunt