Respiratory Research (May 2011)

Exhaled breath condensate pH as a biomarker of COPD severity in ex-smokers

  • Alchanatis Manos,
  • Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I,
  • Bakakos Petros,
  • Kontogianni Konstantina,
  • Minas Markos,
  • Loukides Stelios,
  • Papaioannou Andriana I,
  • Papiris Spyros,
  • Kostikas Konstantinos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1465-9921-12-67
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
p. 67

Abstract

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Abstract Endogenous airway acidification, as assessed by exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH, is present in patients with stable COPD. The aim of this study was to measure EBC pH levels in a large cohort of COPD patients and to evaluate associations with functional parameters according to their smoking status. EBC was collected from 161 patients with stable COPD and 112 controls (current and ex-smokers). EBC pH was measured after Argon deaeration and all subjects underwent pulmonary function testing. EBC pH was lower in COPD patients compared to controls [7.21 (7.02, 7.44) vs. 7.50 (7.40, 7.66); p Endogenous airway acidification is related to disease severity and to parameters expressing hyperinflation and air trapping in ex-smokers with COPD. The possible role of EBC pH in COPD needs to be further evaluated in longitudinal studies.