Comparison of Biomarkers in Exhaled Breath Condensate and Bronchoalveolar Lavage
- 1 February 2007
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Thoracic Society in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
- Vol. 175 (3), 222-227
- https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200601-107oc
Abstract
Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is increasingly studied as a noninvasive research method of sampling the lungs, measuring several biomarkers. The exact site of origin of substances measured in EBC is unknown, as is the clinical applicability of the technique. Special techniques might be needed to measure EBC biomarkers. To assess biomarker concentrations in clinical disease and investigate the site of origin of EBC, we compared EBC and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) biomarkers in 49 patients undergoing bronchoscopy for clinical indications. We measured exhaled nitric oxide, 8-isoprostane, hydrogen peroxide, total nitrogen oxides, pH, total protein, and phospholipid (n = 33) and keratin (n = 15) to assess alveolar and mucinous compartments, respectively. EBC was collected over 10 min using a refrigerated condenser according to European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society recommendations, and BAL performed immediately thereafter. 8-Isoprostane, nitrogen oxides, and pH were significantly higher in EBC than in BAL (3.845 vs. 0.027 ng/ml, 28.4 vs. 3.8 microM, and 7.35 vs. 6.4, respectively; p < 0.001). Hydrogen peroxide showed no difference between EBC and BAL (17.5 vs. 20.6 microM, p = not significant), whereas protein was significantly higher in BAL (33.8 vs. 183.2 microg/ml, p < 0.001). Total phospholipid was also higher in EBC, but keratin showed no difference. No significant correlation was found between EBC and BAL for any of the biomarkers evaluated either before or after correction for dilution. In clinical disease, markers of inflammation and oxidative stress are easily measurable in EBC using standard laboratory techniques and EBC is readily obtained. However, EBC and BAL markers do not correlate.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- ATS Workshop Proceedings: Exhaled Nitric Oxide and Nitric Oxide Oxidative Metabolism in Exhaled Breath CondensateProceedings of the American Thoracic Society, 2006
- Anaerobic killing of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa by acidified nitrite derivatives under cystic fibrosis airway conditionsJCI Insight, 2006
- Effect of simulated altitude during sleep on moderate‐severity OSARespirology, 2006
- Clinical and Technical Factors Affecting pH and Other Biomarkers in Exhaled Breath CondensatePediatric Pulmonology, 2005
- Catching breath: monitoring airway inflammation using exhaled breath condensateEuropean Respiratory Journal, 2005
- Exhaled breath condensate: methodological recommendations and unresolved questionsEuropean Respiratory Journal, 2005
- Origin of nitrite and nitrate in nasal and exhaled breath condensate and relation to nitric oxide formationThorax, 2005
- Exhaled 8-isoprostane as a new non-invasive biomarker of oxidative stress in cystic fibrosisThorax, 2000
- Exhaled and nasal nitric oxide measurements: recommendations. The European Respiratory Society Task ForceEuropean Respiratory Journal, 1997
- Increased nitric oxide in exhaled air of asthmatic patientsThe Lancet, 1994