Significance of Exhaled Breath Test in Clinical Diagnosis: A Special Focus on the Detection of Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emanating from human exhaled breath can provide deep insight into the status of various biochemical processes in the human body. VOCs can serve as potential biomarkers of physiological and pathophysiological conditions related to several diseases. Breath VOC analysis, a noninvasive and quick biomonitoring approach, also has potential for the early detection and progress monitoring of several diseases. This paper gives an overview of the major VOCs present in human exhaled breath, possible biochemical pathways of breath VOC generation, diagnostic importance of their analysis, and analytical techniques used in the breath test. Breath analysis relating to diabetes mellitus and its characteristic breath biomarkers is focused on. Finally, some challenges and limitations of the breath test are discussed.

Year 2020: A Snapshot of the Last Progress in Flexible Printed Gas Sensors

“…VOCs are one of the major contributors to air pollution and their emissions from outdoor and indoor sources are growing due to rapid industrialization and urbanization. High concentrations of VOCs can cause health disorders or serious disease as cancer [117]. VOCs are also present in small concentration in human breath and they could be used as natural biomarkers to medical diagnosis [116].…”

“…It is a greenhouse gas, whose most important emission sources are the decomposition of landfill waste, the extraction from fossil fuels, and the digestive process in animals (livestock). In breath analysis it is a biomarker associated with lactose intolerance [95,117].…”

L’haleine et les capteurs d’odeurs

“…Le profil odorant (c'est-à-dire les quantités relatives des différents odorants) évolue selon le type et le stade du cancer [2]. Les COV constituent ainsi une signature olfactive pour diverses pathologies [3,4] qui peut être validée par les animaux.…”

The Dietary Fibers–FODMAPs Controversy

“…In fact, breath analysis appears to be a new diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of pathologies such as diabetes or liver disease (13,42). However, a causal role of gases and VOCs as mediators (positive or negative) of metabolic alterations remains unknown.…”