title: Breath concentration of acetic acid vapour is elevated in patients with cystic fibrosis.
abstract: A study has been carried out of the volatile organic compounds present in the exhaled breath of 58 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. An important observation is that the acetic acid vapour concentration measured by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) is significantly elevated in the exhaled breath of CF patients, independent of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection status (PA-infected median 170 ppbv; PA-negative median 182 ppbv), compared to that of healthy controls (median 48 ppbv). The cause for this may be decreased pH of the mucus lining the CF airways. Thus, we speculate that non-invasive measurement of breath acetic acid concentration could serve as an indicator of the acidity of the CF airways mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Medical School, Keele University, Thornburrow Drive, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7QB, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Kristýna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sovová
authors.forename: Kseniya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dryahina
authors.forename: Tereza
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Doušová
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dřevínek
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Španěl
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D045853:Exhalation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019342:Acetic Acid