ABSTRACT
I. Background ....................................................................................................31 II. Dilution of Respiratory Solutes by Condensed Water Vapor........................32 III. Rationale for Reference Indicators of Dilution.............................................34 IV. Selection of Indicators of Dilution ................................................................35 V. Osmolality of the Respiratory Secretions......................................................38 VI. Alternative Indicators.....................................................................................40 VII. Volatile Solutes and the Efficiency of Collection with Condensers .............40 VIII. Hydrophobic (Lipophilic) Solutes .................................................................41 IX. Sensitivity of Assays ......................................................................................41 X. pH and Buffers in Normal Exhaled Breath Condensates .............................41 XI. The Effects of Inflammatory Lung Diseases on Exhaled Breath
Condensate Buffers and pH...........................................................................43 XII. Condensate Anions and the Role of HCO
..................................................45 XIII. What Determines the pH of Exhaled Condensates? .....................................47 XIV. Documentation of Airway Acidification with Exhaled Breath
Condensates....................................................................................................48 XV. The Future of Exhaled Breath Condensates..................................................50 Acknowledgments....................................................................................................51 Further Reading .......................................................................................................51
