title: Will use of exhaled breath condensate be useful for the intensive care unit routine?
abstract: Endogenous production of nitric oxide can be detected and monitored in exhaled air of men and animals. The main objective of this review was to discuss if nitric oxide in exhaled breath condensate is a useful tool when investigating respiratory dysfunctions in intensive care units. Specialized literature reveals an increasing interest in the use of exhaled breath condensate as a non-invasive method to investigate pulmonary disease. However, a standardized method for its collection is lacking, and use of different methods of respiratory support complicates comparison among different studies. In addition, the same specialized literature review emphasized possible difficulties for routine use of the exhaled breath condensate in intensive care patients, mainly under mechanical ventilation. Until exhaled breath condensate becomes a routine tool of research and monitoring of intensive care patients, more specific studies and technologies are still necessary. Its importance has been related to physiological control of the pulmonary function and to physiopathology of pulmonary disease involving chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia e Anatomia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Viviane Dos Santos
authors.initials: Vdos S
authors.lastname: Augusto
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia e Anatomia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Graziela Saraiva
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Bioquímica da Divisão de Cirurgia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Eliza Jordani de
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia e Anatomia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Alfredo José
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia e Anatomia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto Barbosa
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Evora