Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Current issue
  • ERJ Early View
  • Past issues
  • Authors/reviewers
    • Instructions for authors
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Open access
    • COVID-19 submission information
    • Peer reviewer login
  • Alerts
  • Podcasts
  • Subscriptions
  • ERS Publications
    • European Respiratory Journal
    • ERJ Open Research
    • European Respiratory Review
    • Breathe
    • ERS Books
    • ERS publications home

User menu

  • Log in
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
  • ERS Publications
    • European Respiratory Journal
    • ERJ Open Research
    • European Respiratory Review
    • Breathe
    • ERS Books
    • ERS publications home

Login

European Respiratory Society

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Current issue
  • ERJ Early View
  • Past issues
  • Authors/reviewers
    • Instructions for authors
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Open access
    • COVID-19 submission information
    • Peer reviewer login
  • Alerts
  • Podcasts
  • Subscriptions

Exhaled breath condensate: a space odessey, where no one has gone before…

P. Rosias, C. Robroeks, J. Hendriks, E. Dompeling, Q. Jöbsis
European Respiratory Journal 2004 24: 189-190; DOI: 10.1183/09031936.04.00025404
P. Rosias
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
C. Robroeks
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
J. Hendriks
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
E. Dompeling
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Q. Jöbsis
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

To the Editor:

We read with great interest the editorial of Rahman 1 on the reproducibility of oxidative stress biomarkers in breath condensate. As a consequence, we would like to share some of our thoughts, as ultimately, we all may want to walk on planet Mars. However, this does not mean that we are already able to lift off, as many methodological problems first need to be properly addressed. Similarly, exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is an interesting noninvasive technique to explore inflammatory lung diseases, where no one has gone before… Many methodological issues are still waiting to be solved, as recently reviewed 2. Indeed, the development of EBC is currently hampered by many conflicting reports on biomarker reproducibility. As clearly stated, one of the main obstacles consists of current analytical problems, due to limitations of sensitivity and specificity of the assays used to date 3.

However, the statement that “now with the use of EcoScreen, collection of EBC is being standardised in many leading laboratories” may be misleading, as it suggests that “this would no longer be a confounding factor contributing to the variations in biomarkers in EBC” 1. We want to clearly point out that the EBC collection method still remains a possible confounding factor and an important source of biomarker variability, because standardisation involves applying more than one identical collection technique. To our knowledge, there is no scientific evidence that the EcoScreen condenser would be the most valid technique to collect EBC for the measurement of inflammatory mediators in condensate. In fact, the key issue is not the reproducibility of a certain biomarker, but the reproducibility of a certain biomarker for a certain condenser system 2. We compared the influence of different inner condenser coatings on the detection of human albumin and 8‐isoprostane in EBC 4. Our data show a much greater efficiency of condenser systems with a borosilicate glass or silicone coating, compared with the EcoScreen or condensers with aluminium, polypropylene and teflon coating. This implicates that the EcoScreen may not be the most valid apparatus, at least not for some biomarkers.

Although the need for clear-cut methodological recommendations is incontestable, one has to recognise that we are not yet able to give such recommendations. Further research on the reproducibility of biomarkers with different condenser systems is urgently needed.

    • © ERS Journals Ltd

    References

    1. ↵
      Rahman I. Reproducibility of oxidative stress biomarkers in breath condensate: are they reliable? Eur Respir J 2004;23:183–184.
      OpenUrlFREE Full Text
    2. ↵
      Rosias PPR, Dompeling E, Hendriks HJE, Heijnens JWCM, Donckerwolcke RAMG, Jöbsis Q. Exhaled breath condensate in children: pearls and pitfalls. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2004;15:4–19.
      OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
    3. ↵
      Van Hoydonck PGA, Wuyts WA, Vanaudenaerde BM, Schouten EG, Dupont LJ, Temme EHM. Quantitative analysis of 8-isoprostane and hydrogen peroxide in exhaled breath condensate. Eur Respir J 2004;23:189–192.
      OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
    4. ↵
      Rosias PPR, Vernooy JHJ, Dentener MA, et al. The inner coating of condenser systems influences the detection of human albumin in exhaled breath condensate. Eur Respir J 2003;22: Suppl. 45, 280s.
      OpenUrlCrossRef
    PreviousNext
    Back to top
    View this article with LENS
    Vol 24 Issue 1 Table of Contents
    • Table of Contents
    • Index by author
    Email

    Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on European Respiratory Society .

    NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

    Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
    Exhaled breath condensate: a space odessey, where no one has gone before…
    (Your Name) has sent you a message from European Respiratory Society
    (Your Name) thought you would like to see the European Respiratory Society web site.
    CAPTCHA
    This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
    Print
    Citation Tools
    Exhaled breath condensate: a space odessey, where no one has gone before…
    P. Rosias, C. Robroeks, J. Hendriks, E. Dompeling, Q. Jöbsis
    European Respiratory Journal Jul 2004, 24 (1) 189-190; DOI: 10.1183/09031936.04.00025404

    Citation Manager Formats

    • BibTeX
    • Bookends
    • EasyBib
    • EndNote (tagged)
    • EndNote 8 (xml)
    • Medlars
    • Mendeley
    • Papers
    • RefWorks Tagged
    • Ref Manager
    • RIS
    • Zotero

    Share
    Exhaled breath condensate: a space odessey, where no one has gone before…
    P. Rosias, C. Robroeks, J. Hendriks, E. Dompeling, Q. Jöbsis
    European Respiratory Journal Jul 2004, 24 (1) 189-190; DOI: 10.1183/09031936.04.00025404
    del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Technorati logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Connotea logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
    Full Text (PDF)

    Jump To

    • Article
      • References
    • Info & Metrics
    • PDF
    • Tweet Widget
    • Facebook Like
    • Google Plus One

    More in this TOC Section

    • Wider access to quality-assured rifapentine-based regimens is needed to accelerate tuberculosis prevention and care globally
    • The alarmin(g) effect of interleukin-5 blockade on residual eosinophil function is of clinical consequence
    • The association between immunosuppressant and the outcome of COVID-19
    Show more Correspondence

    Related Articles

    Navigate

    • Home
    • Current issue
    • Archive

    About the ERJ

    • Journal information
    • Editorial board
    • Reviewers
    • Press
    • Permissions and reprints
    • Advertising

    The European Respiratory Society

    • Society home
    • myERS
    • Privacy policy
    • Accessibility

    ERS publications

    • European Respiratory Journal
    • ERJ Open Research
    • European Respiratory Review
    • Breathe
    • ERS books online
    • ERS Bookshop

    Help

    • Feedback

    For authors

    • Instructions for authors
    • Publication ethics and malpractice
    • Submit a manuscript

    For readers

    • Alerts
    • Subjects
    • Podcasts
    • RSS

    Subscriptions

    • Accessing the ERS publications

    Contact us

    European Respiratory Society
    442 Glossop Road
    Sheffield S10 2PX
    United Kingdom
    Tel: +44 114 2672860
    Email: journals@ersnet.org

    ISSN

    Print ISSN:  0903-1936
    Online ISSN: 1399-3003

    Copyright © 2022 by the European Respiratory Society