Review Article

Breath Tests in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine: From Research to Practice in Current Perspectives

Table 1

Summary of studied diseases, studied volatile organic compounds and references.

Studied diseases Studied exhaled breath* and in vitro volatile organic compounds and exhaled
         breath condensates**
References
BreathCulture (in vitro)

Pulmonary tuberculosis(1) Benzene, ethyl-*  
(2) Benzene, methyl-*  
(3) Benzene, propyl-*  
(4) Heptane, 3-methyl-*  
(5) Propane, 2-methoxy-2-me*  
(6) 1-Octene*  
(7) Cyclohexane*  
(8) Heptanal*  
(9) Heptane, 2,4-dimethyl-*  
(10) Heptane, 4-methyl-*  
(11) Nonanal*    
(12) Pentane, 2-methyl-*  
(13) Styrene*  
(14) Tridecane*  
(15) Cyclohexane, 1,3-  
-dimethyl-, trans-*  
(16) Benzene, 1,4-dichloro-*  
(17) Cyclohexane, 1,4-  
-dimethyl-*  
(18) 1-Octanal, 2-butyl-*  
(19) 2-Butanone*  
(20) Naphthalene, 1-methyl-*  
(21) Camphene*  
(22) Decane, 4-methyl-*  
(23) Heptane, 3-ethyl-2-  
methyl-*  
(24) Octane, 2,6-dimethyl-*  
(25) Benzene, 1,2,3,4-  
-tetramethyl*  
(26) Icycle_3_1_1_hept-2-  
-ene, 3,6,6-trimethyl-*  
(27) Cyclohexane, 1-ethyl-4-methyl-, trans-*  
(28) 1-_beta_-Pinene*
(1) Naphthalene, 1-methyl-
(2) 3-Heptanone
(3) Methylcyclododecane
(4) Heptane, 2,2,4,6,6-
pentamethyl-
(5) Benzene, 1-methyl-4-
-(1-methylethyl)-
(6) Cyclohexane, 1,4-dimethyl-
(7) 3,5-Dimethylamphetamine
(8) Butanal, 3-methyl-
(9) 2-Hexene, trans-anti-1-methyl-
-decahydronaphthalene
[9, 1518, 24]
       (1) Hydrogen peroxide**  
       (2) Nitric oxide*  
       (3) Carbon dioxide*  
       (4) Ammonia*
[1013, 22, 23, 25]

Pulmonary cancer        (1) 1,5,9-Cyclododecatriene, 1,5,9-trimethyl-*  
       (2) Pentan-1,3-dioldiisobutyrate, 2,2,4-trimethyl-*  
       (3) Benzoic acid, 4-ethoxy-, ethyl ester*    
       (4) Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 1-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-2-  
      -methyl-1,3-propanediyl ester*  
       (5) 10,11-Dihydro-5H-dibenz-(B,F)-azepine*  
       (6) 2,5-Cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione, 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-*   
       (7) Benzene, 1,1-oxybis-*  
       (8) Furan, 2,5-dimethyl-*  
       (9) 1,1-Biphenyl, 2,2-diethyl-*  
       (10) 3-Pentanone, 2,4-dimethyl-*  
       (11) trans-Caryophyllene*  
       (12) 1H-Indene, 2,3-dihydro-1,1,3-trimethyl-3-phenyl-*  
       (13) 1-Propanol*  
       (14) Decane, 4-methyl-*  
       (15) 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, diethyl ester*  
       (16) 2,4-Hexadiene, 2,5-dimethyl-*  
       (17) Isoprene (1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-)*  
       (18) 2-Methylpentane*  
       (19) Pentane*  
       (20) Ethylbenzene*  
       (21) Xylenes*  
       (22) Trimethylbenzene*  
       (23) Toluene*  
       (24) Pentamethylheptane*  
       (25) Ethynylbenzene*  
       (26) Heptane, 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethyl-*  
       (27) Heptane, 2-methyl-*  
       (28) Benzene, propyl-*  
       (29) Undecane*  
       (30) Cyclopentane, methyl-*  
       (31) Cyclopentane, 1-methyl-2-pentyl-*  
       (32) Methane, trichlorofluoro-*  
       (33) Benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl-*  
       (34) Octane, 3-methyl-*  
       (35) 1-Hexene*  
       (36) Nonane, 3-methyl-*  
       (37) 1-Heptene*  
       (38) Benzene, 1,4-dimethyl-*  
       (39) Heptane, 2,4-dimethyl-*  
       (40) Hexanal*  
       (41) Cyclohexane*  
       (42) Benzene, 1-methylethenyl-*  
       (43) Hepatanal*  
       (44) Styrene*  
       (45) Propyl benzene*  
       (46) 1,2,4-Trimethyl benzene*  
       (47) Heptanal*  
       (48) Methyl cyclopropane*  
       (49) Acetone*  
       (50) Tumor necrosis factor-alpha**  
       (51) Interleukin-2**  
       (52) Leptin**  
       (53) Deoxyribonucleic acid**  
       (54) Matrix metalloproteinase-9**
[2634, 3639]
      Nitric oxide*[27, 35]

Respiratory infections/infestations
Pseudomonas  aeruginosa        (1) Hydrogen cyanide*  
       (2) Nitric oxide*
[43, 135]
Staphylococcus  aureus        Nitric oxide*[48]
 Bacterial        (1) Nitric oxide*   
       (2) Carbon monoxide*  
       (3) Volatile fatty acids (BAL)
[44, 4850, 54]
 Viral        (1) Nitric oxide*   
       (2) Carbon monoxide*
[4548]
 Parasitic        Nitric oxide*[48]
Streptococcal  pneumoniae  
Aspergillus  niger  
Aspergillus  terreus  
Aspergillus  flavus  
Aspergillus  fumigatus  
Fusarium  species
       2-Pentylfuran*[53]

Primary ciliary dyskinesia       Nitric oxide*[57]

Cystic fibrosis        (1) Nitric oxide*  
       (2) Carbon monoxide*  
       (3) Hydrogen*  
       (4) Pentane*  
       (5) Ethane*  
       (6) Methane*  
       (7) Dimethyl sulphide*  
       (8) Toluene*  
       (9) 2-Propanol*   
       (10) 8-Isoprostane*, **  
       (11) Nitrite**   
       (12) Nitrate**  
       (13) Nitrotyrosine**  
       (14) S-Nitrosothiols**  
       (15) Tumor necrosis factor-alpha**  
       (16) Interferon-gamma**  
       (17) Interleukin-2**  
       (18) Interleukin-4**  
       (19) Interleukin-5**   
       (20) Interleukin-8**  
       (21) Interleukin-10**
[48, 57, 63, 107123, 159, 160]

Asthma        (1) Nitric oxide*  
       (2) Nitrite**  
       (3) Nitrate**    
       (4) 3-Nitrotyrosine**  
       (5) S-Nitrosothiols**  
       (6) Malondialdehyde**   
       (7) Carbon monoxide*  
       (8) Hydrogen peroxide**   
       (9) Ammonium ions**  
       (10) Leukotrienes B4**, C4**, D4**, E4**, F4**  
       (11) Cysteinyl leukotrienes**   
       (12) Thromboxane B2-L1**    
       (13) Nepsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine**  
       (14) Eotaxin**  
       (15) Macrophage-derived chemokine**  
       (16) Pentane*  
       (17) Ethane*  
       (18) Isoprene*  
       (19) 8-Isoprostane*, **  
       (20) Calcium ions**  
       (21) Magnesium ions**  
       (22) Chlorine**
[57, 6075, 78, 79, 89, 92, 93, 131133, 159, 161, 162]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease        (1) Nitric oxide*  
       (2) Nitrite**  
       (3) S-Nitrosothiols**  
       (4) Hydrogen peroxide**  
       (5) Carbon monoxide*  
       (6) Prostaglandin E2*, F2-alpha**  
       (7) Interleukin-1-beta**  
       (8) Interleukin-6**  
       (9) Tumor necrosis factor-alpha**  
       (10) Leukotriene B4**  
       (11) Cysteinyl leukotrienes**  
       (12) Malondialdehyde**  
       (13) Erythropoietin**  
       (14) Ethane*  
       (15) Isoprene*  
       (16) Pentane*  
       (17) 8-Isoprostane*,**  
       (18) Aluminum**  
       (19) Cadmium**  
       (20) Lead**  
       (21) Iron**    
       (22) Copper**
[8, 44, 5760, 6971, 74, 76, 8084, 93106, 159]

Pneumonia
Bronchiectasis
Lung transplant rejection
Idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis
Adult respiratory distress
syndrome
Inflammatory pulmonary
diseases
       (1) Nitric oxide*   
       (2) Nitrite**  
       (3) 3-Nitrotyrosine**  
       (4) Carbon monoxide*  
       (5) 8-Isoprostane**  
       (6) Pentane*  
       (7) Ethane*   
      (8) Hydrogen peroxide**  
       (9) Ammonia*  
       (10) Helium*   
       (11) Adenosine**
[44127, 129, 158]

Obstructive sleep apnoea
with active inflammation
       (1) Nitric oxide*  
       (2) Pentane*  
       (3) Ethane*
[86]

Systemic sclerosis
Fibrosing alveolitis
Pulmonary sarcoidosis
       (1) Nitric oxide*  
       (2) Carbon monoxide*  
       (3) Ethane*  
       (4) Nitrite**  
       (5) Nitrate**    
       (6) Insulin-like growth factor 1**  
       (7) Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1**  
       (8) Tumor necrosis factor-alpha**  
       (9) Interleukin-6**  
       (10) Cysteinyl leukotrienes**  
       (11) Leukotriene B4**  
       (12) 8-Isop[rostane**
[128, 134148]

Asbestosis        (1) Nitric oxide*  
       (2) 8-Isoprostane**  
       (3) Leukotriene B4**
[55, 56]

Silicosis        (1) 8-Isoprostane**  
       (2) Leukotriene D4**
[58]

Adult respiratory distress syndrome
Head injury
       (1) Nitric oxide*   
       (2) Pentane*  
       (3) Ethane*  
       (4) Isoprene*  
       (5) Acetone*  
       (6) Hydrogen peroxide**
[51, 124, 127, 153, 155157]

Pulmonary lobectomy        (1) Hydrogen peroxide**  
       (2) Hydrogen ions**  
       (3) Leukotriene B4**
[158]