BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to examine the reproducibility of methane and hydrogen in exhaled air breath after a per-oral load of lactulose. METHODS: Methane was present in the exhaled breath of 21 of 50 healthy subjects recruited by advertisement. Three methane breath tests were performed in 12 women (aged 23.6+/-0.5 years, mean+/-SEM) after they consumed 10 g of lactulose dissolved in 300 ml of water. Short- and medium-term reproducibilities were assessed by paired examinations taken 3 and 17 days (median) apart, respectively. RESULTS: High values of coefficients of variation for paired examinations (CV(p)) indicated a poor short-term reproducibility of parameters characterizing either the methane or hydrogen excretion in breath air: CV(p) values of the maximum net increments over baseline in methane (max CH4_net), and in hydrogen (max H2_net), were 34% and 41%, respectively. Moreover, the reproducibility consistently deteriorated with increasing time gap between repeat measurements (CV(p): 60% for max CH4_net and 64% for max H2_net). CONCLUSIONS: The low reproducibility of parameters characterizing quantitative methane breath excretion suggests that caution is necessary when judging the clinical usefulness of the methane breath test after a per-oral lactulose load for the purpose of diagnosing and classifying functional bowel disorders.
Breath Tests ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrogen ; Lactulose ; Methane ; Water

No abstract available.
Breath Tests ; Carbon ; Critical Illness ; Gastric Emptying ; Meals

Breath Tests ; Humans ; Mining ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnosis ; Radon ; analysis

Breath Tests ; Child, Preschool ; Exhalation ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; analysis

Accurate diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is mandatory for the effective management of many gastroduodenal diseases. Currently, various diagnostic methods are available for detecting these infections, and the choice of method should take into account the clinical condition, accessibility, advantage, disadvantage, as well as cost-effectiveness. The diagnostic methods are divided into invasive (endoscopic-based) and non-invasive methods. Non-invasive methods included urea breath test, stool antigen test, serology, and molecular methods. Invasive methods included endoscopic imaging, rapid urease test, histology, culture, and molecular methods. In this article, we provide a review of the currently available options and recent advances of various diagnostic methods.
Breath Tests ; Diagnosis* ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Methods ; Urea ; Urease

No abstract available.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Breath Tests ; Citric Acid ; Humans ; Meals

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical value of combined measurement of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and nasal fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FnNO) and its correlation with the level of asthma control. METHODS: A total of 120 children who were diagnosed with asthma from January to June, 2018 and were in the chronic persistent stage were enrolled as subjects. The childhood asthma control test (C-ACT) was performed for all the 120 children. According to the C-ACT score, these children were divided into 4 groups: complete control group with a C-ACT score of >23, partial control group with a C-ACT score of 20-23, and uncontrolled group with a C-ACT score of ≤19 (n=40 each). According to the presence or absence of allergic rhinitis, they were divided into 2 groups: non-rhinitis group with 55 children and rhinitis group with 65 children. A total of 40 children who underwent physical examination during the same period of time were enrolled as the control group. FeNO and FnNO levels were measured for all the 120 children. RESULTS: The uncontrolled group had the highest level of FeNO, followed by the partial control group and the complete control group (P<0.05). The uncontrolled and partial control groups had a significantly higher level of FeNO than the control group (P<0.05). The uncontrolled and partial control groups had a significantly higher level of FnNO than the complete control and control groups (P<0.05). The rhinitis group had significantly higher FeNO and FnNO levels than the non-rhinitis group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS FeNO can be used to assess the level of asthma control in children, and its combination with FnNO may be useful for the evaluation of the degree of inflammation in the upper and lower airways and provide a basis for the combined treatment of the upper and lower airways.
Asthma ; Breath Tests ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Rhinitis, Allergic

OBJECTIVE: To explore the predictive significance of exhaled breath temperature (EBT) for airway inflammation changes in children with asthma. METHODS: A total of 60 children with asthma who met the inclusion criteria at the first visit were chosen as the asthma group, and 60 healthy children were selected as the control group. The EBT level was measured by the latest third-generation product (X-halo). The Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) score was recorded. EBT level and C-ACT score were compared between the asthma and control groups. At the subsequent visit one month later, the children were divided into well-controlled, partially-controlled, and uncontrolled groups according to their C-ACT scores. The EBT level and the FeNO level of the three groups were measured. EBT level and C-ACT score were compared among the three groups. The correlation between EBT and FeNO was analyzed. The data of initial diagnosis were reviewed, the EBT level and C-ACT score at the first visit were compared among the three groups, and the differences in EBT level and C-ACT score among the three groups at the second and first visits were evaluated. RESULTS: At the first visit, the asthma group had a significantly higher EBT and a significantly lower C-ACT score compared with the control group (P<0.05). At the time of the subsequent visit, there was a significant difference in EBT level between the three groups, i.e., uncontrolled group > partially-controlled group > well-controlled group (P<0.05), and there was also a significant difference in C-ACT score between the three groups, i.e., well-controlled group > partially-controlled group > uncontrolled group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in EBT level and C-ACT score at the first visit between the three groups. From the first visit to the subsequent visit, EBT level was significantly decreased in the well-controlled group (P<0.05), but significantly increased in both partially-controlled group uncontrolled groups (P<0.05); C-ACT score was significantly increased in the well-controlled and partially-controlled groups (P<0.05), but significantly decreased in the uncontrolled group (P<0.05). EBT and FeNO levels at the subsequent visit were positively correlated with each other in the uncontrolled group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS EBT has predictive significance for the changes in airway inflammation in children with asthma.
Asthma ; Breath Tests ; Child ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Nitric Oxide ; Temperature

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of oral care, perceived halitosis, halitosis, interpersonal relationships and oral health-related quality of life and to examine the relationships among these variables.METHODS: The participants were 94 elderly people. The questionnaire included questions on oral care, perceived halitosis, interpersonal relationships, and oral health-related quality of life. Halitosis was measured using odor breath tester.RESULTS: A total of 63.8% of the elderly did not receive regular oral care. The halitosis score was 1.59, thus indicating moderate halitosis. The current perceived halitosis figure was 1.54, participants responded that they feel slight. There was no significant correlation between halitosis and perceived halitosis. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in halitosis and perceived halitosis according to the oral care. Perceived halitosis was negatively correlated with oral health-related quality of life. Interpersonal relationships were correlated with oral health-related quality of life.CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to actively promote the need for oral care among the elderly. Moreover, older people need regular oral care to prevent halitosis and improve their oral health-related quality of life.
Aged ; Breath Tests ; Halitosis ; Humans ; Odors ; Oral Hygiene ; Quality of Life

Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) has been extensively investigated as a noninvasive marker of airway inflammation in asthma. The increased NO expression induced by inflammatory mediators in airways can be monitored easily in exhaled air from asthmatic children. Based on the relationship between the increased NO expression and eosinophilic airway inflammation, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurements become an important adjunct for the evaluation of asthma. In addition, the availability of portable devices makes it possible to measure FeNO more easily and frequently in the routine pediatric practice. Despite various confounding factors affecting its levels, FeNO can be applicable in diagnosing asthma, monitoring treatment response, evaluating asthma control, and predicting asthma exacerbations. Thus, although pulmonary function tests are the standard tools for objective measurements of asthmatic control, FeNO can broaden the way of asthma monitoring and supplement standard clinical asthma care guidelines.
Asthma* ; Breath Tests ; Child ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Nitric Oxide* ; Respiratory Function Tests