Infection of the lungs with pneumonia is a worldwide ...



Analysis of Trace Gases in Breath Samples to Diagnose Pneumonia Infection

Erin C Bufalini

Dr. Donald Blake

Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of death in people aged 65 and over. It results in the inflammation of alveolar sacs and increased fluid accumulation in the lungs, which can impair oxygen uptake by the body. Since the children of the Baby Boom are aging, the number of senior citizens is expected to increase in the near future along with the incidence of pneumonia infection. Physicians usually rely on a patient’s symptoms and physical examination to diagnose pneumonia infection. Other modes sometimes used for diagnosing infection are chest X-rays, sputum samples, urine antigen analyses, and blood tests. Many of these modes of diagnosis, however, are either time consuming or have low sensitivity. This study attempted to use trace gases in the breath of pneumonia patients as a mode for quick and accurate diagnosis. Five pneumonia patient breath samples were collected in evacuated cans in the UC Irvine Emergency Department, along with the corresponding number of subject controls and room air samples. All of the samples were analyzed and quantified for over fifty gases on an ultra-trace gas analytical device developed in the Blake and Rowland lab at UC Irvine. In pneumonia subjects, it was found that several sulfur halogenated and hydrocarbon gases were present in enhanced levels. Until further data is collected, the significance of these findings cannot be determined; however, trace gas analysis is a promising prospect that may decrease the cost and time of diagnosing infected individuals and increase the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment.

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