Molecules

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22 pages, 7300 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modular Breath Analyzer (MBA): Introduction of a Breath Analyzer Platform Based on an Innovative and Unique, Modular eNose Concept for Breath Diagnostics and Utilization of Calibration Transfer Methods in Breath Analysis Studies

by Carsten Jaeschke, Marta Padilla, Johannes Glöckler, Inese Polaka, Martins Leja, Viktors Veliks, Jan Mitrovics, Marcis Leja and Boris Mizaikoff

Molecules 2021, 26(12), 3776; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26123776 - 21 Jun 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3451

Abstract

Exhaled breath analysis for early disease detection may provide a convenient method for painless and non-invasive diagnosis. In this work, a novel, compact and easy-to-use breath analyzer platform with a modular sensing chamber and direct breath sampling unit is presented. The developed analyzer [...] Read more.

Exhaled breath analysis for early disease detection may provide a convenient method for painless and non-invasive diagnosis. In this work, a novel, compact and easy-to-use breath analyzer platform with a modular sensing chamber and direct breath sampling unit is presented. The developed analyzer system comprises a compact, low volume, temperature-controlled sensing chamber in three modules that can host any type of resistive gas sensor arrays. Furthermore, in this study three modular breath analyzers are explicitly tested for reproducibility in a real-life breath analysis experiment with several calibration transfer (CT) techniques using transfer samples from the experiment. The experiment consists of classifying breath samples from 15 subjects before and after eating a specific meal using three instruments. We investigate the possibility to transfer calibration models across instruments using transfer samples from the experiment under study, since representative samples of human breath at some conditions are difficult to simulate in a laboratory. For example, exhaled breath from subjects suffering from a disease for which the biomarkers are mostly unknown. Results show that many transfer samples of all the classes under study (in our case meal/no meal) are needed, although some CT methods present reasonably good results with only one class. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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11 pages, 1800 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Monitoring the Reaction of the Body State to Antibiotic Treatment against Helicobacter pylori via Infrared Spectroscopy: A Case Study

by Kiran Sankar Maiti and Alexander Apolonski

Molecules 2021, 26(11), 3474; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26113474 - 7 Jun 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2467

Abstract

The current understanding of deviations of human microbiota caused by antibiotic treatment is poor. In an attempt to improve it, a proof-of-principle spectroscopic study of the breath of one volunteer affected by a course of antibiotics for Helicobacter pylori eradication was performed. Fourier [...] Read more.

The current understanding of deviations of human microbiota caused by antibiotic treatment is poor. In an attempt to improve it, a proof-of-principle spectroscopic study of the breath of one volunteer affected by a course of antibiotics for Helicobacter pylori eradication was performed. Fourier transform spectroscopy enabled searching for the absorption spectral structures sensitive to the treatment in the entire mid-infrared region. Two spectral ranges were found where the corresponding structures strongly correlated with the beginning and end of the treatment. The structures were identified as methyl ester of butyric acid and ethyl ester of pyruvic acid. Both acids generated by bacteria in the gut are involved in fundamental processes of human metabolism. Being confirmed by other studies, measurement of the methyl butyrate deviation could be a promising way for monitoring acute gastritis and anti-Helicobacter pylori antibiotic treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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11 pages, 1646 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Stool Volatile Metabolome of Pre-Term Babies

by Alessandra Frau, Lauren Lett, Rachael Slater, Gregory R. Young, Christopher J. Stewart, Janet Berrington, David M. Hughes, Nicholas Embleton and Chris Probert

Molecules 2021, 26(11), 3341; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26113341 - 2 Jun 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3614

Abstract

The fecal metabolome in early life has seldom been studied. We investigated its evolution in pre-term babies during their first weeks of life. Multiple (n = 152) stool samples were studied from 51 babies, all <32 weeks gestation. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were [...] Read more.

The fecal metabolome in early life has seldom been studied. We investigated its evolution in pre-term babies during their first weeks of life. Multiple (n = 152) stool samples were studied from 51 babies, all <32 weeks gestation. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed by headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Data were interpreted using Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution System (AMDIS) with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) reference library. Statistical analysis was based on linear mixed modelling, the number of VOCs increased over time; a rise was mainly observed between day 5 and day 10. The shift at day 5 was associated with products of branched-chain fatty acids. Prior to this, the metabolome was dominated by aldehydes and acetic acid. Caesarean delivery showed a modest association with molecules of fungal origin. This study shows how the metabolome changes in early life in pre-term babies. The shift in the metabolome 5 days after delivery coincides with the establishment of enteral feeding and the transition from meconium to feces. Great diversity of metabolites was associated with being fed greater volumes of milk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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11 pages, 1240 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantification of Volatile Aldehydes Deriving from In Vitro Lipid Peroxidation in the Breath of Ventilated Patients

by Lukas Martin Müller-Wirtz, Daniel Kiefer, Sven Ruffing, Timo Brausch, Tobias Hüppe, Daniel I. Sessler, Thomas Volk, Tobias Fink, Sascha Kreuer and Felix Maurer

Molecules 2021, 26(11), 3089; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26113089 - 21 May 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2542

Abstract

Exhaled aliphatic aldehydes were proposed as non-invasive biomarkers to detect increased lipid peroxidation in various diseases. As a prelude to clinical application of the multicapillary column–ion mobility spectrometry for the evaluation of aldehyde exhalation, we, therefore: (1) identified the most abundant volatile aliphatic [...] Read more.

Exhaled aliphatic aldehydes were proposed as non-invasive biomarkers to detect increased lipid peroxidation in various diseases. As a prelude to clinical application of the multicapillary column–ion mobility spectrometry for the evaluation of aldehyde exhalation, we, therefore: (1) identified the most abundant volatile aliphatic aldehydes originating from in vitro oxidation of various polyunsaturated fatty acids; (2) evaluated emittance of aldehydes from plastic parts of the breathing circuit; (3) conducted a pilot study for in vivo quantification of exhaled aldehydes in mechanically ventilated patients. Pentanal, hexanal, heptanal, and nonanal were quantifiable in the headspace of oxidizing polyunsaturated fatty acids, with pentanal and hexanal predominating. Plastic parts of the breathing circuit emitted hexanal, octanal, nonanal, and decanal, whereby nonanal and decanal were ubiquitous and pentanal or heptanal not being detected. Only pentanal was quantifiable in breath of mechanically ventilated surgical patients with a mean exhaled concentration of 13 ± 5 ppb. An explorative analysis suggested that pentanal exhalation is associated with mechanical power—a measure for the invasiveness of mechanical ventilation. In conclusion, exhaled pentanal is a promising non-invasive biomarker for lipid peroxidation inducing pathologies, and should be evaluated in future clinical studies, particularly for detection of lung injury. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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16 pages, 2189 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Detection of Paratuberculosis in Dairy Herds by Analyzing the Scent of Feces, Alveolar Gas, and Stable Air

by Michael Weber, Peter Gierschner, Anne Klassen, Elisa Kasbohm, Jochen K. Schubert, Wolfram Miekisch, Petra Reinhold and Heike Köhler

Molecules 2021, 26(10), 2854; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26102854 - 11 May 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2417

Abstract

Paratuberculosis is an important disease of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Early detection is crucial for successful infection control, but available diagnostic tests are still dissatisfying. Methods allowing a rapid, economic, and reliable identification of animals or herds affected by [...] Read more.

Paratuberculosis is an important disease of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Early detection is crucial for successful infection control, but available diagnostic tests are still dissatisfying. Methods allowing a rapid, economic, and reliable identification of animals or herds affected by MAP are urgently required. This explorative study evaluated the potential of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to discriminate between cattle with and without MAP infections. Headspaces above fecal samples and alveolar fractions of exhaled breath of 77 cows from eight farms with defined MAP status were analyzed in addition to stable air samples. VOCs were identified by GC–MS and quantified against reference substances. To discriminate MAP-positive from MAP-negative samples, VOC feature selection and random forest classification were performed. Classification models, generated for each biological specimen, were evaluated using repeated cross-validation. The robustness of the results was tested by predicting samples of two different sampling days. For MAP classification, the different biological matrices emitted diagnostically relevant VOCs of a unique but partly overlapping pattern (fecal headspace: 19, alveolar gas: 11, stable air: 4–5). Chemically, relevant compounds belonged to hydrocarbons, ketones, alcohols, furans, and aldehydes. Comparing the different biological specimens, VOC analysis in fecal headspace proved to be most reproducible, discriminatory, and highly predictive. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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9 pages, 883 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differential Response of Pentanal and Hexanal Exhalation to Supplemental Oxygen and Mechanical Ventilation in Rats

by Lukas M. Müller-Wirtz, Daniel Kiefer, Joschua Knauf, Maximilian A. Floss, Jonas Doneit, Beate Wolf, Felix Maurer, Daniel I. Sessler, Thomas Volk, Sascha Kreuer and Tobias Fink

Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2752; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092752 - 7 May 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2304

Abstract

High inspired oxygen during mechanical ventilation may influence the exhalation of the previously proposed breath biomarkers pentanal and hexanal, and additionally induce systemic inflammation. We therefore investigated the effect of various concentrations of inspired oxygen on pentanal and hexanal exhalation and serum interleukin [...] Read more.

High inspired oxygen during mechanical ventilation may influence the exhalation of the previously proposed breath biomarkers pentanal and hexanal, and additionally induce systemic inflammation. We therefore investigated the effect of various concentrations of inspired oxygen on pentanal and hexanal exhalation and serum interleukin concentrations in 30 Sprague Dawley rats mechanically ventilated with 30, 60, or 93% inspired oxygen for 12 h. Pentanal exhalation did not differ as a function of inspired oxygen but increased by an average of 0.4 (95%CI: 0.3; 0.5) ppb per hour, with concentrations doubling from 3.8 (IQR: 2.8; 5.1) ppb at baseline to 7.3 (IQR: 5.0; 10.8) ppb after 12 h. Hexanal exhalation was slightly higher at 93% of inspired oxygen with an average difference of 0.09 (95%CI: 0.002; 0.172) ppb compared to 30%. Serum IL-6 did not differ by inspired oxygen, whereas IL-10 at 60% and 93% of inspired oxygen was greater than with 30%. Both interleukins increased over 12 h of mechanical ventilation at all oxygen concentrations. Mechanical ventilation at high inspired oxygen promotes pulmonary lipid peroxidation and systemic inflammation. However, the response of pentanal and hexanal exhalation varies, with pentanal increasing by mechanical ventilation, whereas hexanal increases by high inspired oxygen concentrations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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5 pages, 972 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Breathing Rhythm Variations during Wash-In Do Not Influence Exhaled Volatile Organic Compound Profile Analyzed by an Electronic Nose

by Silvano Dragonieri, Vitaliano Nicola Quaranta, Pierluigi Carratù, Teresa Ranieri, Enrico Buonamico and Giovanna Elisiana Carpagnano

Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2695; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092695 - 4 May 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2062

Abstract

E-noses are innovative tools used for exhaled volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis, which have shown their potential in several diseases. Before obtaining a full validation of these instruments in clinical settings, a number of methodological issues still have to be established. We aimed [...] Read more.

E-noses are innovative tools used for exhaled volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis, which have shown their potential in several diseases. Before obtaining a full validation of these instruments in clinical settings, a number of methodological issues still have to be established. We aimed to assess whether variations in breathing rhythm during wash-in with VOC-filtered air before exhaled air collection reflect changes in the exhaled VOC profile when analyzed by an e-nose (Cyranose 320). We enrolled 20 normal subjects and randomly collected their exhaled breath at three different breathing rhythms during wash-in: (a) normal rhythm (respiratory rate (RR) between 12 and 18/min), (b) fast rhythm (RR > 25/min) and (c) slow rhythm (RR < 10/min). Exhaled breath was collected by a previously validated method (Dragonieri et al., J. Bras. Pneumol. 2016) and analyzed by the e-nose. Using principal component analysis (PCA), no significant variations in the exhaled VOC profile were shown among the three breathing rhythms. Subsequent linear discriminant analysis (LDA) confirmed the above findings, with a cross-validated accuracy of 45% (p = ns). We concluded that the exhaled VOC profile, analyzed by an e-nose, is not influenced by variations in breathing rhythm during wash-in. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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12 pages, 947 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Exhaled Breath Compounds after Whole Grain Diets

by Kaisa Raninen, Ringa Nenonen, Elina Järvelä-Reijonen, Kaisa Poutanen, Hannu Mykkänen and Olavi Raatikainen

Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2667; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092667 - 2 May 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2926

Abstract

Exhaled breath is a potential noninvasive matrix to give new information about metabolic effects of diets. In this pilot study, non-targeted analysis of exhaled breath volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was made by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GCxGC-MS) to explore compounds relating to [...] Read more.

Exhaled breath is a potential noninvasive matrix to give new information about metabolic effects of diets. In this pilot study, non-targeted analysis of exhaled breath volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was made by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GCxGC-MS) to explore compounds relating to whole grain (WG) diets. Nine healthy subjects participated in the dietary intervention with parallel crossover design, consisting of two high-fiber diets containing whole grain rye bread (WGR) or whole grain wheat bread (WGW) and 1-week control diets with refined wheat bread (WW) before both diet periods. Large interindividual differences were detected in the VOC composition. About 260 VOCs were detected from exhaled breath samples, in which 40 of the compounds were present in more than half of the samples. Various derivatives of benzoic acid and phenolic compounds, as well as some furanones existed in exhaled breath samples only after the WG diets, making them interesting compounds to study further. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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16 pages, 958 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Targeted and Untargeted Approaches in Breath Analysis for the Discrimination of Lung Cancer from Benign Pulmonary Diseases and Healthy Persons

by Michalis Koureas, Dimitrios Kalompatsios, Grigoris D. Amoutzias, Christos Hadjichristodoulou, Konstantinos Gourgoulianis and Andreas Tsakalof

Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2609; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092609 - 29 Apr 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3268

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to compare the efficiency of targeted and untargeted breath analysis in the discrimination of lung cancer (Ca+) patients from healthy people (HC) and patients with benign pulmonary diseases (Ca−). Exhaled breath samples from 49 Ca+ patients, [...] Read more.

The aim of the present study was to compare the efficiency of targeted and untargeted breath analysis in the discrimination of lung cancer (Ca+) patients from healthy people (HC) and patients with benign pulmonary diseases (Ca−). Exhaled breath samples from 49 Ca+ patients, 36 Ca− patients and 52 healthy controls (HC) were analyzed by an SPME–GC–MS method. Untargeted treatment of the acquired data was performed with the use of the web-based platform XCMS Online combined with manual reprocessing of raw chromatographic data. Machine learning methods were applied to estimate the efficiency of breath analysis in the classification of the participants. Results: Untargeted analysis revealed 29 informative VOCs, from which 17 were identified by mass spectra and retention time/retention index evaluation. The untargeted analysis yielded slightly better results in discriminating Ca+ patients from HC (accuracy: 91.0%, AUC: 0.96 and accuracy 89.1%, AUC: 0.97 for untargeted and targeted analysis, respectively) but significantly improved the efficiency of discrimination between Ca+ and Ca− patients, increasing the accuracy of the classification from 52.9 to 75.3% and the AUC from 0.55 to 0.82. Conclusions: The untargeted breath analysis through the inclusion and utilization of newly identified compounds that were not considered in targeted analysis allowed the discrimination of the Ca+ from Ca− patients, which was not achieved by the targeted approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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11 pages, 714 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploratory Study Using Urinary Volatile Organic Compounds for the Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

by Ayman S. Bannaga, Heena Tyagi, Emma Daulton, James A. Covington and Ramesh P. Arasaradnam

Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2447; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092447 - 22 Apr 2021

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 3799

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) biomarkers are lacking in clinical practice. We therefore explored the pattern and composition of urinary volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in HCC patients. This was done in order to assess the feasibility of a potential non-invasive test for HCC, and to [...] Read more.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) biomarkers are lacking in clinical practice. We therefore explored the pattern and composition of urinary volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in HCC patients. This was done in order to assess the feasibility of a potential non-invasive test for HCC, and to enhance our understanding of the disease. This pilot study recruited 58 participants, of whom 20 were HCC cases and 38 were non-HCC cases. The non-HCC cases included healthy individuals and patients with various stages of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including those with and without fibrosis. Urine was analysed using gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS) and gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC–TOF-MS). GC–IMS was able to separate HCC from fibrotic cases with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.97 (0.91–1.00), and from non-fibrotic cases with an AUC of 0.62 (0.48–0.76). For GC-TOF-MS, a subset of samples was analysed in which seven chemicals were identified and tentatively linked with HCC. These include 4-methyl-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)pent-1-ene (2TMS derivative), 2-butanone, 2-hexanone, benzene, 1-ethyl-2-methyl-, 3-butene-1,2-diol, 1-(2-furanyl)-, bicyclo(4.1.0)heptane, 3,7,7-trimethyl-, [1S-(1a,3β,6a)]-, and sulpiride. Urinary VOC analysis using both GC–IMS and GC-TOF-MS proved to be a feasible method of identifying HCC cases, and was also able to enhance our understanding of HCC pathogenesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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14 pages, 1753 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Searching for Potential Markers of Glomerulopathy in Urine by HS-SPME-GC×GC TOFMS

by Tomasz Ligor, Joanna Zawadzka, Grzegorz Strączyński, Rosa M. González Paredes, Anna Wenda-Piesik, Ileana Andreea Ratiu and Marek Muszytowski

Molecules 2021, 26(7), 1817; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26071817 - 24 Mar 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2521

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exiting in urine are potential biomarkers of chronic kidney diseases. Headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was applied for extraction VOCs over the urine samples. Volatile metabolites were separated and identified by means of two-dimensional gas chromatography and time of [...] Read more.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exiting in urine are potential biomarkers of chronic kidney diseases. Headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was applied for extraction VOCs over the urine samples. Volatile metabolites were separated and identified by means of two-dimensional gas chromatography and time of flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC TOF MS). Patients with glomerular diseases (n = 27) and healthy controls (n = 20) were recruited in the study. Different VOCs profiles were obtained from patients and control. Developed methodology offers the opportunity to examine the metabolic profile associated with glomerulopathy. Four compounds found in elevated amounts in the patients group, i.e., methyl hexadecanoate; 9-hexadecen-1-ol; 6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-one and 2-pentanone were proposed as markers of glomerular diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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19 pages, 4158 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Needle Trap Device-GC-MS for Characterization of Lung Diseases Based on Breath VOC Profiles

by Fernanda Monedeiro, Maciej Monedeiro-Milanowski, Ileana-Andreea Ratiu, Beata Brożek, Tomasz Ligor and Bogusław Buszewski

Molecules 2021, 26(6), 1789; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26061789 - 22 Mar 2021

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 4602

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been assessed in breath samples as possible indicators of diseases. The present study aimed to quantify 29 VOCs (previously reported as potential biomarkers of lung diseases) in breath samples collected from controls and individuals with lung cancer, chronic [...] Read more.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been assessed in breath samples as possible indicators of diseases. The present study aimed to quantify 29 VOCs (previously reported as potential biomarkers of lung diseases) in breath samples collected from controls and individuals with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. Besides that, global VOC profiles were investigated. A needle trap device (NTD) was used as pre-concentration technique, associated to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Univariate and multivariate approaches were applied to assess VOC distributions according to the studied diseases. Limits of quantitation ranged from 0.003 to 6.21 ppbv and calculated relative standard deviations did not exceed 10%. At least 15 of the quantified targets presented themselves as discriminating features. A random forest (RF) method was performed in order to classify enrolled conditions according to VOCs’ latent patterns, considering VOCs responses in global profiles. The developed model was based on 12 discriminating features and provided overall balanced accuracy of 85.7%. Ultimately, multinomial logistic regression (MLR) analysis was conducted using the concentration of the nine most discriminative targets (2-propanol, 3-methylpentane, (E)-ocimene, limonene, m-cymene, benzonitrile, undecane, terpineol, phenol) as input and provided an average overall accuracy of 95.5% for multiclass prediction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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13 pages, 1663 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Smoking Status on Exhaled Breath Profiles in Asthma and COPD Patients

by Stefania Principe, Job J.M.H. van Bragt, Cristina Longo, Rianne de Vries, Peter J. Sterk, Nicola Scichilone, Susanne J.H. Vijverberg and Anke H. Maitland-van der Zee

Molecules 2021, 26(5), 1357; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26051357 - 4 Mar 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2565

Abstract

Breath analysis using eNose technology can be used to discriminate between asthma and COPD patients, but it remains unclear whether results are influenced by smoking status. We aim to study whether eNose can discriminate between ever- vs. never-smokers and smoking <24 vs. >24 [...] Read more.

Breath analysis using eNose technology can be used to discriminate between asthma and COPD patients, but it remains unclear whether results are influenced by smoking status. We aim to study whether eNose can discriminate between ever- vs. never-smokers and smoking <24 vs. >24 h before the exhaled breath, and if smoking can be considered a confounder that influences eNose results. We performed a cross-sectional analysis in adults with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and healthy controls. Ever-smokers were defined as patients with current or past smoking habits. eNose measurements were performed by using the SpiroNose. The principal component (PC) described the eNose signals, and linear discriminant analysis determined if PCs classified ever-smokers vs. never-smokers and smoking <24 vs. >24 h. The area under the receiver–operator characteristic curve (AUC) assessed the accuracy of the models. We selected 593 ever-smokers (167 smoked <24 h before measurement) and 303 never-smokers and measured the exhaled breath profiles of discriminated ever- and never-smokers (AUC: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.66–0.81), and no cigarette consumption <24h (AUC 0.54, 95% CI: 0.43–0.65). In healthy controls, the eNose did not discriminate between ever or never-smokers (AUC 0.54; 95% CI: 0.49–0.60) and recent cigarette consumption (AUC 0.60; 95% CI: 0.50–0.69). The eNose could distinguish between ever and never-smokers in asthma and COPD patients, but not recent smokers. Recent smoking is not a confounding factor of eNose breath profiles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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13 pages, 1120 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Volatile Organic Compounds, Bacterial Airway Microbiome, Spirometry and Exercise Performance of Patients after Surgical Repair of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

by Gert Warncke, Georg Singer, Jana Windhaber, Lukas Schabl, Elena Friehs, Wolfram Miekisch, Peter Gierschner, Ingeborg Klymiuk, Ernst Eber, Katarina Zeder, Andreas Pfleger, Beate Obermüller, Holger Till and Christoph Castellani

Molecules 2021, 26(3), 645; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26030645 - 26 Jan 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2795

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) profile, airway microbiome, lung function and exercise performance in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) patients compared to healthy age and sex-matched controls. A total of nine patients (median age 9 [...] Read more.

The aim of this study was to analyze the exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) profile, airway microbiome, lung function and exercise performance in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) patients compared to healthy age and sex-matched controls. A total of nine patients (median age 9 years, range 6–13 years) treated for CDH were included. Exhaled VOCs were measured by GC–MS. Airway microbiome was determined from deep induced sputum by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Patients underwent conventional spirometry and exhausting bicycle spiroergometry. The exhaled VOC profile showed significantly higher levels of cyclohexane and significantly lower levels of acetone and 2-methylbutane in CDH patients. Microbiome analysis revealed no significant differences for alpha-diversity, beta-diversity and LefSe analysis. CDH patients had significantly lower relative abundances of Pasteurellales and Pasteurellaceae. CDH patients exhibited a significantly reduced Tiffeneau Index. Spiroergometry showed no significant differences. This is the first study to report the VOCs profile and airway microbiome in patients with CDH. Elevations of cyclohexane observed in the CDH group have also been reported in cases of lung cancer and pneumonia. CDH patients had no signs of impaired physical performance capacity, fueling controversial reports in the literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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8 pages, 1590 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using Volatile Organic Compounds to Investigate the Effect of Oral Iron Supplementation on the Human Intestinal Metabolome

by Ammar Ahmed, Rachael Slater, Stephen Lewis and Chris Probert

Molecules 2020, 25(21), 5113; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25215113 - 3 Nov 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2869

Abstract

Patients with iron deficiency anaemia are treated with oral iron supplementation, which is known to cause gastrointestinal side effects by likely interacting with the gut microbiome. To better study this impact on the microbiome, we investigated oral iron-driven changes in volatile organic compounds [...] Read more.

Patients with iron deficiency anaemia are treated with oral iron supplementation, which is known to cause gastrointestinal side effects by likely interacting with the gut microbiome. To better study this impact on the microbiome, we investigated oral iron-driven changes in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the faecal metabolome. Stool samples from patients with iron deficiency anaemia were collected pre- and post-treatment (n = 45 and 32, respectively). Faecal headspace gas analysis was performed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and the changes in VOCs determined. We found that the abundance of short-chain fatty acids and esters fell, while aldehydes increased, after treatment. These changes in pre- vs. post-iron VOCs resemble those reported when the gut is inflamed. Our study shows that iron changes the intestinal metabolome, we suggest by altering the structure of the gut microbial community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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13 pages, 1303 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Optimization of Liquid–Liquid Extraction of Urinary Volatile and Semi-Volatile Compounds and Its Application for Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

by Natalia Drabińska, Piotr Młynarz, Ben de Lacy Costello, Peter Jones, Karolina Mielko, Justyna Mielnik, Raj Persad and Norman Mark Ratcliffe

Molecules 2020, 25(16), 3651; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25163651 - 11 Aug 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3501

Abstract

Urinary volatile compounds (VCs) have been recently assessed for disease diagnoses. They belong to very diverse chemical classes, and they are characterized by different volatilities, polarities and concentrations, complicating their analysis via a single analytical procedure. There remains a need for better, lower-cost [...] Read more.

Urinary volatile compounds (VCs) have been recently assessed for disease diagnoses. They belong to very diverse chemical classes, and they are characterized by different volatilities, polarities and concentrations, complicating their analysis via a single analytical procedure. There remains a need for better, lower-cost methods for VC biomarker discovery. Thus, there is a strong need for alternative methods, enabling the detection of a broader range of VCs. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to optimize a simple and reliable liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) procedure for the analysis of VCs in urine using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), in order to obtain the maximum number of responses. Extraction parameters such as pH, type of solvent and ionic strength were optimized. Moreover, the same extracts were analyzed using Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (¹H-NMR), to evaluate the applicability of a single urine extraction for multiplatform purposes. After the evaluation of experimental conditions, an LLE protocol using 2 mL of urine in the presence of 2 mL of 1 M sulfuric acid and sodium sulphate extracted with dichloromethane was found to be optimal. The optimized method was validated with the external standards and was found to be precise and linear, and allowed for detection of >400 peaks in a single run present in at least 50% of six samples—considerably more than the number of peaks detected by solid-phase microextracton fiber pre-concentration-GC-MS (328 ± 6 vs. 234 ± 4). ¹H-NMR spectroscopy of the polar and non-polar extracts extended the range to >40 more (mainly low volatility compounds) metabolites (non-destructively), the majority of which were different from GC-MS. The more peaks detectable, the greater the opportunity of assessing a fingerprint of several compounds to aid biomarker discovery. In summary, we have successfully demonstrated the potential of LLE as a cheap and simple alternative for the analysis of VCs in urine, and for the first time the applicability of a single urine solvent extraction procedure for detecting a wide range of analytes using both GC-MS and ¹H-NMR analysis to enhance putative biomarker detection. The proposed method will simplify the transport between laboratories and storage of samples, as compared to intact urine samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Volatile Organic Compound Analysis as Diagnostic Biomarkers)

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