Ο Ιπποκράτης ήταν ο πρώτος που υποστήριξε πως η αναπνοή μας
μπορεί να αποτελέσει «διαγνωστικό εργαλείο».
Περί τα 400 π.Χ., ο πατέρας της σύγχρονης Ιατρικής έγραψε μια αναλυτική μελέτη αναφορικά με την οσμή της αναπνοής και τη σχέση της με την κακή υγεία.μπορεί να αποτελέσει «διαγνωστικό εργαλείο».
Έχει επιβεβαιωθεί πολλάκις από τους επιστήμονες ότι η αναπνοή πράγματι μπορεί να αποδειχθεί ενδεικτική για επιπλοκές στην υγεία μας και μάλιστα οι γιατροί έχουν καταφέρει να προχωρήσουν σε διάγνωση διαφόρων νοσημάτων βάσει του μοναδικού «αποτυπώματος» της αναπνοής ενός ανθρώπου.
Καρκίνος των πνευμόνων
Οι επιστήμονες γνωρίζουν ήδη ότι ορισμένα ζώα είναι σε θέση να ανιχνεύσουν μέσω της όσφρησης ορισμένους τύπους καρκίνου. Δουλεύοντας επάνω σε αυτή την ιδέα, οι ερευνητές έχουν προσπαθήσει να αναπτύξουν μια τεχνολογία "ηλεκτρονικής μύτης". Αυτό θα μπορούσε να λειτουργήσει με τον διαχωρισμό διαφορετικών πτητικών οργανικών ενώσεων (ΠΟΕ) στα δείγματα αναπνοής κάποιου ατόμου. Αν και οι ερευνητές δεν είναι σε θέση να προσδιορίσουν με σαφήνεια το ποιες ακριβώς ΠΟΕ συνδέονται με διάφορες ασθένειες, μια έρευνα του 2013 δείχνει ότι είναι δυνατό μια ηλεκτρονική μύτη να ανιχνεύσει τον καρκίνο του πνεύμονα μεταξύ άλλων παθήσεων των πνευμόνων. Από μια ομάδα 128 μη καπνιστών και 114 καπνιστών, η τεχνολογία αυτή απέτυχε να ανιχνεύσει σωστά τον καρκίνο του πνεύμονα σε μόλις 10 περιπτώσεις.
Καρδιακή ανεπάρκεια
Σε έρευνα του 2012, ομάδα επιστημόνων κατάφερε να προσδιορίσει εκείνους τους συμμετέχοντες που είχαν καρδιακή ανεπάρκεια μέσω του ξεχωριστού "αποτυπώματος" στην οσμή της αναπνοής τους. Αρχικά, σκοπός της έρευνας ήταν να εντοπιστούν τα άτομα με νεφρική ανεπάρκεια, αλλά στην πορεία οι επιστήμονες κατάλαβαν ότι η καρδιακή ανεπάρκεια ήταν ακόμα πιο εύκολο να προσδιοριστεί μέσω της αναπνοής.
Διαβήτης
Ένα πιθανώς φρουτώδες άρωμα, ή ένα που θυμίζει την οσμή από βερνίκι νυχιών, μπορεί να σημαίνει σοβαρό πρόβλημα σε ασθενείς με σακχαρώδη διαβήτη, το οποίο ονομάζεται κετοξέωση. Αυτό συμβαίνει όταν ο οργανισμός δεν μπορεί να χρησιμοποιήσει τη ζάχαρη ως πηγή καυσίμου, διότι δεν υπάρχει αρκετή ινσουλίνη. Το λίπος τότε χρησιμοποιείται για καύσιμο αντί της γλυκόζης. Όταν το λίπος διασπάται, τα υποπροϊόντα που παράγονται ονομάζονται κετόνες και συσσωρεύονται στο σώμα.
Νεφρική ανεπάρκεια
Η αναπνοή που έχει μια μυρωδιά σαν της αμμωνίας μπορεί μερικές φορές να συμβεί σε άτομα που πάσχουν από χρόνια νεφρική ανεπάρκεια. Τα νεφρά αφαιρούν τα απόβλητα από το αίμα. Όταν υπολειτουργούν δεν είναι πλέον σε θέση να αφαιρέσουν τις τοξίνες από το αίμα. Τα απόβλητα συσσωρεύονται σε όλο το σώμα, και ένας από τους τρόπους που απελευθερώνονται είναι μέσω του αναπνευστικού συστήματος, με τη μορφή της κακής αναπνοής.
Παχυσαρκία
Έρευνα από το Ιατρικό Κέντρο Cedars-Sinai στο Λος Άντζελες έδειξε ότι η αναπνοή ενός ατόμου μπορεί να υποδείξει το κατά πόσον αυτό το άτομο είναι πιθανό να αναπτύξει παχυσαρκία στο μέλλον. Οι επιστήμονες ανέλυσαν την αναπνοή 792 συμμετεχόντων και διαπίστωσαν ότι εκείνοι με υψηλές συγκεντρώσεις μεθανίου και υδρογόνου στην αναπνοή τους είχαν υψηλότερο Δείκτη Μάζας Σώματος και υψηλότερα ποσοστά λίπους από εκείνους των οποίων η αναπνοή είχε το κανονικό/αναμενόμενο μείγμα αυτών των αερίων ή είχε υψηλή συγκέντρωση είτε μόνο σε μεθάνιο είτε μόνο σε υδρογόνο.
6 Breath Tests That Can Diagnose Disease
A new study uses breath to diagnoses diabetes, but other diseases like cancer and obesity may be breath-detectable too
A new study shows that it may be possible to diagnose type 1 diabetes in kids even before the onset of severe illness.
Currently, about one in four kids with type
1 diabetes don’t know they have it until they start having life-threatening symptoms. However, a new study published in the Journal of Breath Researchshows researchers might be able to diagnose the disease by detecting a chemical marker (acetone) in the breath that makes it smell sweet, but indicates a build-up of chemicals in the blood (ketones) that occurs when a person’s insulin levels are low. High levels of acetone in the breath can indicate high levels of ketones in the blood. The hope is that if proven effective, this breath test will help physicians make a diagnosis earlier.
1 diabetes don’t know they have it until they start having life-threatening symptoms. However, a new study published in the Journal of Breath Researchshows researchers might be able to diagnose the disease by detecting a chemical marker (acetone) in the breath that makes it smell sweet, but indicates a build-up of chemicals in the blood (ketones) that occurs when a person’s insulin levels are low. High levels of acetone in the breath can indicate high levels of ketones in the blood. The hope is that if proven effective, this breath test will help physicians make a diagnosis earlier.
Growing research suggests breath tests can be used to detect a variety of diseases, from diabetes to various cancers. Research is still early in some areas—and there are other factors beyond disease that can result in chemical markers in the blood and breath—but some medical institutions are already using the tests of a variety of diagnosis.
Type 1 Diabetes
In the new study, researchers collected compounds in the breath from 113 children and adolescents between the ages 7 and 18. They also measured the kids’ blood-sugar and ketone levels. They found a link between higher levels of acetone in the breath and ketones in the blood. “Our results have shown that it is realistically possible to use measurements of breath acetone to estimate blood ketones,” said study author Gus Hancock, a professor at Oxford in a statement. “We are working on the development of a small hand-held device that would … help to identify children with new diabetes.”
In the new study, researchers collected compounds in the breath from 113 children and adolescents between the ages 7 and 18. They also measured the kids’ blood-sugar and ketone levels. They found a link between higher levels of acetone in the breath and ketones in the blood. “Our results have shown that it is realistically possible to use measurements of breath acetone to estimate blood ketones,” said study author Gus Hancock, a professor at Oxford in a statement. “We are working on the development of a small hand-held device that would … help to identify children with new diabetes.”
Colorectal Cancer
In a small study published in 2012 in the British Journal of Surgery, researchers from the the University Aldo Moro of Bari in Italy collected the breath of 37 patients with colorectal cancer and 41 healthy control participants. The researchers were measuring the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the participants’ breath, with the thought being that cancer tissues and cells may release distinct chemicals. The researchers were able to identify 15 of 58 specific compounds that were correlated with colorectal cancer. Based on this, the were also able to distinguish between cancer patients and healthy patients with 75% accuracy.
In a small study published in 2012 in the British Journal of Surgery, researchers from the the University Aldo Moro of Bari in Italy collected the breath of 37 patients with colorectal cancer and 41 healthy control participants. The researchers were measuring the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the participants’ breath, with the thought being that cancer tissues and cells may release distinct chemicals. The researchers were able to identify 15 of 58 specific compounds that were correlated with colorectal cancer. Based on this, the were also able to distinguish between cancer patients and healthy patients with 75% accuracy.
Lung Cancer
In 2013, researchers from the University of Latvia used an electronic nose-like device to identify a unique chemical signature in lung cancer patients. As TIME has previously reported, there are several groups who think this process can be standardized for cancer with further research. In June, scientists at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicagopresented a device they think has real promise.
In 2013, researchers from the University of Latvia used an electronic nose-like device to identify a unique chemical signature in lung cancer patients. As TIME has previously reported, there are several groups who think this process can be standardized for cancer with further research. In June, scientists at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicagopresented a device they think has real promise.
Obesity
There are obviously a number of ways that obesity can be diagnosed without a breath test, but a 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that obese people had unique markers in their breath, too. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center studied the breath of 792 men and women trying to detect methane. Those with higher levels of methane and hydrogen gases in their breath also tended to be heavier with a BMI around 2.4 points greater than those with normal gas levels. The hope, the researchers say, is that a test could be developed that could detect a type of bacteria that may be involved in both weight and levels of gas in the breath. There may be ways to clinically curb that bacteria growth.
There are obviously a number of ways that obesity can be diagnosed without a breath test, but a 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that obese people had unique markers in their breath, too. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center studied the breath of 792 men and women trying to detect methane. Those with higher levels of methane and hydrogen gases in their breath also tended to be heavier with a BMI around 2.4 points greater than those with normal gas levels. The hope, the researchers say, is that a test could be developed that could detect a type of bacteria that may be involved in both weight and levels of gas in the breath. There may be ways to clinically curb that bacteria growth.
Lactose Intolerance
Johns Hopkins Medicine uses breath testing to help diagnose lactose intolerance. Patients drink a lactose-heavy drink and clinicians will analyzed the breath for hydrogen, which is produced when lactose isn’t digested and is fermented by bacteria.
Johns Hopkins Medicine uses breath testing to help diagnose lactose intolerance. Patients drink a lactose-heavy drink and clinicians will analyzed the breath for hydrogen, which is produced when lactose isn’t digested and is fermented by bacteria.
Fructose Intolerance
Johns Hopkins also uses breath tests to assess whether an individual is allergic or intolerant to fructose, a sugar used to sweeten some beverage and found naturally in foods like onions, artichokes, and wheat. The test is similar to a breath test for lactose intolerance. Patients will drink a cup of water with dissolved fructose and over a three hour period, clinicians will test their breath. Once again, a high presence of hydrogen can indicate that the patient is not properly digesting it.
------------------> http://time.com/Johns Hopkins also uses breath tests to assess whether an individual is allergic or intolerant to fructose, a sugar used to sweeten some beverage and found naturally in foods like onions, artichokes, and wheat. The test is similar to a breath test for lactose intolerance. Patients will drink a cup of water with dissolved fructose and over a three hour period, clinicians will test their breath. Once again, a high presence of hydrogen can indicate that the patient is not properly digesting it.
A Breathalyzer That Can Diagnose Cancer
Breathprints can give doctors information that patients won't or can't offer... [...]
http://www.theatlantic.com/
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