RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Reproducibility data of breath analysis through a gas sensors array and comparison to spirometry in COPD patients
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP p921
VO 38
IS Suppl 55
A1 Simone Scarlata
A1 Giorgio Pennazza
A1 Domenica Chiurco
A1 Marco Santonico
A1 Arnaldo D'amico
A1 Raffaele Antonelli Incalzi
YR 2011
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p921.abstract
AB Background: There is insufficient information on reproducibility and intra observer variability of breath analysis, a technique proved to have classificatory and discriminative properties in respiratory diseases. Aim of this study is therefore to compare variance over time of breath analysis and global spirometry in elderly patients with COPD.Materials and methods: Data refer to the 9 COPD patients so far recruited. Patient underwent breath analysis and respiratory function study 3 times along a period of 3 weeks. The gas sensors array (based on 6 Quartz Microbalances (QMB) covered with different metalloporphyrins) used for this study was fabricated by Tor Vergata University, Rome. The reproducibility of sensors measurements and spirometry data were then compared.Results: Results are summarized in figure 1 with panels A, B and C respectively representing the frequency shifts registered by the six QMB sensors (A) and twelve parameters obtained by global spirometry (B and C). Variance, mean value, confidence interval and outliers of a set of data are graphically depicted.Figure 1Conclusions: Spirometric values show a smaller variance respect to the QMB frequency shifts. However, the reproducibility of selected sensor data seems fair enough to allow follow up COPD patients.