RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Exhaled molecular patterns change after experimental rhinovirus 16 infection in asthma JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP 1692 VO 38 IS Suppl 55 A1 N. Fens A1 K.F. van der Sluijs A1 M.A. van de Pol A1 R. Lutter A1 S.L. Johnston A1 P.J. Sterk YR 2011 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/1692.abstract AB Rationale: The majority of asthma exacerbations is caused by rhinovirus (RV) infection. Metabolomic assessment of exhaled Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) using an electronic nose (eNose) offers the opportunity to simplify and improve monitoring of asthmatics with exacerbations.Hypothesis: We hypothesized that exhaled VOC-patterns change after experimental rhinovirus infection.Methods: Patients with mild intermittent asthma (no ICS; age 22±3; M/F 4/5) and healthy controls (22±3; 1/13) underwent intranasal RV16 inoculation. Efficacy of inoculation was assessed by antibodies and PCR. Exhaled breath was collected using a standardized method 1 day before (visit 1), and 4 days (visit 2) and 2 months (visit 3) after exposure. Exhaled VOCs were measured by eNose (Cyranose 320) resulting in breathprints. Changes in breathprints were analyzed by principal component and mixed model analysis.Results: 9/14 Asthmatics/healthy controls were included. Breathprint principal components (PC) changed significantly in asthmatics between visits 1 and 2 (p=0.010), and between visits 1 and 3 (p=0.015), but there was no change between visits 2 and 3. Breathprints of healthy controls did not change between any visit.Conclusion: Rhinovirus infection changes exhaled VOC-patterns in asthmatics but not in healthy controls. This suggests that the change in exhaled VOC-pattern during and after RV infection in asthma may be used to monitor and predict exacerbations.