Abstract
The pathophysiology of asthma has been intensively studied, but its underlying mechanisms such as airway inflammation, control of airway tone, and bronchial reactivity are still not completely explained. There is an urgent need to implement novel, non-invasive diagnostic tools that can help to investigate local airway inflammation and connect the molecular pathways with the broad spectrum of clinical manifestations of asthma. The new biomarkers of different asthma endotypes could be used to confirm diagnosis, predict asthma exacerbations, or evaluate treatment response. In this paper, we briefly describe the characteristics of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) that is considered to be an interesting source of biomarkers of lung disorders. We look at the composition of EBC, some aspects of the collection procedure, the proposed biomarkers for asthma, and its clinical implications. We also indicate the limitations of the method and potential strategies to standardize the procedure of EBC collection and analytical methods.
Highlights
Condensate—A Non-InvasiveRecent epidemiological studies revealed that more than 300 million individuals live with asthma worldwide [1], with the prevalence of the disease increasing from the middle of the 20th century in many developing countries [2]
In exhaled breath condensate (EBC) samples it was elevated in asthmatic patients comparing to the healthy control group, there was no correlation between disease severity and Interleukin 2 (IL-2) levels [76]
interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a cytokine produced by the cells of the immune system, and by primary pulmonary endothelial cells due to various airway stimuli; its higher levels were detected in EBC of asthmatic adults [84]
Summary
Recent epidemiological studies revealed that more than 300 million individuals live with asthma worldwide [1], with the prevalence of the disease increasing from the middle of the 20th century in many developing countries [2]. Researchers have focused on finding different biochemical and metabolic phenotypes and biomarker panels to select patients with mild, moderate, or severe asthma It would be of great clinical usefulness to find biomarkers that are easy to collect in a non-invasive manner to confirm the diagnosis, assess disease activity, or predict treatment response. It is not easy to study local airway inflammation based only on the results of functional lung tests or induced sputum collection Specific diagnostic methods such as bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or bronchoscopy with bronchial biopsy provide direct information about local airway inflammation, but these procedures are unacceptable for routine practice as they are invasive methods. We briefly describe the design of EBC, some aspects of the collection procedure, the proposed biomarkers for asthma, and its clinical implications
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