[The importance of exhaled breath condensate analysis in diagnosing a lung disease]

Abstract

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) contains aerosolised airway lining fluid and volatile compounds that provide non-invasive insight in biochemical and inflammatory activities in the lung. The interest in EBC has grown rapidly since this easily sampled fluid showed measurable properties that clearly indicate a disease. EBC assays provide evidence of redox deviation, acid-base status, and of the degree and type of inflammation in acute and chronic asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and other lung diseases. Because of uncertain and variable degrees of dilution, EBC does not provide precise assessment of individual solute concentrations within native airway lining fluid. However, it can provide information when concentrations differ substantially between health and disease. Because, EBC assays are approachable and easy to perform, they will become integral components of future clinical studies, and after standardisation is accomplished, they might be used to diagnose and monitor therapy in clinical practice.