Electronic nose determined subgroups of pediatric asthma

Electronic nose technology determined distinct subgroups of asthma in children, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Munich.

“We know that electronic noses have the potential to help us understand more about a range of lung diseases,” researcher Paul Brinkman, of the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, said in a press release. “We have shown that they are an effective method of understanding more about the subtle differences seen between people with asthma. By classifying asthma into different subgroups, we might be able to provide more tailored treatment for each individual.”

Brinkman and colleagues used a cross-sectional analysis to study 106 children (62% male), aged 4 to 13 years, with asthma or preschool wheeze as part of the U-BIOPRED research project.

Researchers used an electronic nose (eNose) platform to analyze exhaled volatile organic compounds trapped on adsorption tubes. Ward clustering was performed on the eNose platform data, as well as ANOVA and chi-square tests.

The children were divided by five clusters that differed significantly by age, asthma control, asthma-related quality of life and skin prick test.

“The findings suggest that exhaled-breath analysis by an electronic nose can be useful in understanding differences between individuals with asthma, which could ultimately help in identifying subgroups of the condition,” the release said.

“This suggests that metabolomics in exhaled air is suitable for phenotyping of airways disease in childhood,” the researchers concluded.

For more information:

Brinkman P. #3766. Presented at: European Respiratory Society 2014 International Congress; Sept. 6-10; Munich.

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