Untargeted Molecular Analysis of Exhaled Breath as a Diagnostic Test for Ventilator-Associated Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (BreathDx)



van Oort, Pouline MP, Nijsen, Tamara M, White, Iain R, Knobel, Hugo H, Felton, Timothy, Rattray, Nicholas, Lawal, Oluwasola, Bulut, Murtaza, Ahmed, Waqar, Artigas, Antonio
et al (show 8 more authors) (2022) Untargeted Molecular Analysis of Exhaled Breath as a Diagnostic Test for Ventilator-Associated Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (BreathDx). THORAX, 77 (1). pp. 79-81.

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Abstract

Patients suspected of ventilator-associated lower respiratory tract infections (VA-LRTIs) commonly receive broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy unnecessarily. We tested whether exhaled breath analysis can discriminate between patients suspected of VA-LRTI with confirmed infection, from patients with negative cultures. Breath from 108 patients suspected of VA-LRTI was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The breath test had a sensitivity of 98% at a specificity of 49%, confirmed with a second analytical method. The breath test had a negative predictive value of 96% and excluded pneumonia in half of the patients with negative cultures. Trial registration number: UKCRN ID number 19086, registered May 2015.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: pneumonia, assisted ventilation, critical care
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 18 Jun 2021 15:42
Last Modified: 26 Jan 2023 02:52
DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-217362
Open Access URL: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2021/06/03/th...
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3126846