Determination of volatile organic compounds in human breath for Helicobacter pylori detection by SPME‐GC/MS

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori living in the human stomach release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be detected in expired air. The aim of the study was the application of breath analysis for bacteria detection. It was accomplished by determination of VOCs characteristic for patients with H. pylori and the analysis of gases released by bacteria in suspension. Solid-phase microextraction was applied as a selective technique for preconcentration and isolation of analytes. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used for the separation and identification of volatile analytes in breath samples and bacterial headspace. For data calculation and processing, discriminant and factor analyses were used. Endogenous substances such as isobutane, 2-butanone and ethyl acetate were detected in the breath of persons with H. pylori in the stomach and in the gaseous mixture released by the bacteria strain but they were not identified in the breath of healthy volunteers. The canonical analysis of discrimination functions showed a strong difference between the three examined groups. Knowledge of substances emitted by H. pylori with the application of an optimized breath analysis method might become a very useful tool for noninvasive detection of this bacterium.

Clinical Application of Volatile Organic Compound Analysis for Detecting Infectious Diseases

“…Urea breath tests commonly used as a noninvasive method for detecting H. pylori infections are based on assessing the release of 13 CO 2 following the hydrolysis of the orally administered substrate [ 13 C]urea by the enzyme urease, which is produced by the bacterium in the stomach (111). Analysis of exhaled-breath samples from patients infected with H. pylori (n ϭ 6) and uninfected healthy controls (n ϭ 23) by using SPME-GC-MS allowed the detection of three endogenous VOCs, namely, isobutane, 2-butanone, and ethyl acetate, in breath samples of H. pylori-infected patients and in the headspace of cultured H. pylori strains but not in breath samples of uninfected healthy controls (112). These authors argued that either these three endogenous VOCs were produced by H. pylori in vivo or they represent host metabolites as a result of infection.…”

“…These authors argued that either these three endogenous VOCs were produced by H. pylori in vivo or they represent host metabolites as a result of infection. Canonical analysis of data allowed discrimination between H. pyloriinfected and healthy subjects based on these three endogenous VOCs (112). In a different study, using PTR-MS analysis of exhaled breath, elevated levels of HCN and hydrogen nitrate were detected in patients with H. pylori gastritis compared to healthy controls (93).…”

Current Developments and Future Trends in Solid-phase Microextraction Techniques for Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analyses

“…Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in human breath are good biomarkers for the diagnosis of cancer [126][127][128][129][130][131][132] and the detection of Helicobacter pylori. 133 Tedlar bags and specific breath sampling tubes, such as Bio-VOC ® and Alveolar breath gas samplers, are usually used for SPME sampling of human breath, and the analytes in collected gas are extracted by direct exposure of SPME fiber in bag sand tubes. VOCs and organic metabolites in exhaled breath from healthy volunteers, smokers, nonsmokers and lung cancer patients with and without treatment, have been measured by SPME coupled with GC-MS in order to differentiate healthy volunteers from lung-cancer patients.…”

Detection of 2-Butanone for the Diagnosis of <I>Helicobacter Pylori</I> Using Graphene and ZnO Nanorod Electrodes

“…The 13 C-urea breath test ( 13 C-UBT) is now considered to be an effective noninvasive method for detecting H. pylori infection by contrast with the direct invasive endoscopy and biopsy rapid urease test. [1][2][3] The 13 C-UBT exploits the bacterial urease activity by monitoring the metabolization of 13 C-labelled urea into ammonia and 13 C-labelled CO 2 . The 13 CO 2 in breath samples are usually measured with a high-precision gas chromatography coupled with an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (GC-IRMS).…”