ABSTRACT
Exhaled breath analysis allows completely noninvasive monitoring of inflammation and oxidative stress in the respiratory tract in inflammatory lung diseases, including interstitial lung diseases. The technique is simple to perform, may be repeated frequently, and can be applied to children, including neonates, and patients with severe disease in whom more invasive procedures are not possible. Several volatile chemicals can be measured in the breath, and many nonvolatile molecules (mediators, oxidation and nitration products, proteins) may be measured in exhaled breath condensate. Exhaled breath analysis may be used to quantify inflammation and oxidative stress in the respiratory tract, in differential diagnosis of airway diseases, and in the monitoring of therapy.
