Exhaled Breath Condensate (EBC) is a well-tolerated, non-invasive sample reflecting the status of the lungs. Studies have demonstrated detectable differences in the composition of EBC between patients with cancer and healthy individuals. These changes have been identified through approaches including metabolomics, transcriptomics, genomics, and detection of markers for inflammation and other biomarkers [4].
EBC has been used widely to research chronic respiratory illnesses. Several studies have demonstrated detectable differences in the composition of EBC between patients with COPD, asthma, allergies and related diseases and healthy volunteers [4,5]. Researchers have documented changes in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), nitric oxide, pH, interleukins and a range of other biomarkers [6].
4. Konstantinidi, E. M., Lappas, A. S., Tzortzi, A. S., & Behrakis, P. K. (2015). Exhaled breath condensate: Technical and diagnostic aspects. The Scientific World Journal, 2015(1), 435160. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/435160
5. Popov, T. A. (2011). Human exhaled breath analysis. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 106(6), 451–456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2011.02.016
6. Ahmadzai, H., Huang, S., Hettiarachchi, R., Lin, J.-L., Thomas, P. S., & Zhang, Q. (2013). Exhaled breath condensate: A comprehensive update. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, 51(7). https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2012-0593