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Detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by ion mobility spectrometry

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International Journal for Ion Mobility Spectrometry

Abstract

COPD is a disease characterised by a chronic inflammation of the airways and a not fully reversible airway obstruction. The spirometry is considered as gold-standard to diagnose the disease and to grade its severity. In this study we used the methodology of Ion Mobility Spectometry in order to detect Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath of patients with COPD. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the VOCs detected in patients with COPD were different from the VOCs detected in exhaled breath of healthy controls. 13 COPD patients and 33 healthy controls were included in the study. Breath samples were collected via a side-steam Teflon tube and directly measured by an ion mobility spectrometer coupled to a multi capillary column (MCC/IMS). One peak was identified only in the patients group compared to the healthy control group. Consequently, the analysis of exhaled breath could be a useful tool to diagnose COPD.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Bertram Boedeker (B&S Analytik GmbH, Dortmund) for his assistance in statistical analysis and Gabriele Kentrat (Ruhrlandklinik Essen, Germany) for her assistance in data collection.

This research received no specific grants from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pneumology, Ruhrlandklinik - University of Essen, Tüschener Weg 40, 45239, Essen, Germany

    Vasiliki Bessa, Kaid Darwiche, Helmut Teschler, Urte Sommerwerck, Thomas Rabis & Lutz Freitag

  2. Department Clinical Diagnostics, KIST Europe, Campus E 71, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany

    Joerg I. Baumbach

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  1. Vasiliki Bessa
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  2. Kaid Darwiche
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  3. Helmut Teschler
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  4. Urte Sommerwerck
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  5. Thomas Rabis
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  6. Joerg I. Baumbach
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  7. Lutz Freitag
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Correspondence to Vasiliki Bessa.

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Vasiliki Bessa and Kaid Darwiche contributed equally to this article.

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Bessa, V., Darwiche, K., Teschler, H. et al. Detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by ion mobility spectrometry. Int. J. Ion Mobil. Spec. 14, 7–13 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12127-011-0060-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12127-011-0060-2

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