Abstract
we identified seven exhaled breath compounds that were significantly elevated in patients with liver disease compared to healthy control. Those compounds include: 2-propanol, acetaldehyde, ammonia, ethanol, acetone, pentane and trimethylamine (TMA). The mean concentration of TMA, in particular, in the exhaled breath was remarkably higher in patients with AH compared to patients with other forms of liver disease and to healthy volunteers (p,0.001). With the use of ROC curve, a cutoff value of breath TMA of 31 ppb provides 94% specificity and 98% sensitivity for the diagnosis of AH [AUC 95% CI: 0.990 (0.9771)]. Among patients with AH, the concentration of TMA in the exhaled breath correlates with the MELD score [rho (95% CI): 0.53 (0.04, 1.0); p=0.035]. Conclusion: TMA breath analysis can identify patients with AH from other forms of acute or chronic liver disease and may provide a novel diagnostic test for this disease.
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