An ERS Task Force has developed new recommendations for the application of breath biomarker measurement procedures, which aim to standardise methods and achieve more comparable data for use in clinical practice.
Existing guidelines for exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) are now outdated, while there are currently no official recommendations for exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or exhaled particles.
The Task Force, which comprised clinicians and researchers with expertise in exhaled biomarkers, conducted an extensive literature review of published studies on the methodology of breath tests.
Published on 27 April in the European Respiratory Journal, the new report focusses specifically on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and exhaled particles, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and exhaled breath condensate (EBC).
The new recommendations addresses areas that were not covered in previous guidelines and reviews current evidence on sampling methods, measurement standardisation and data interpretation, as well as highlighting gaps in knowledge.
Although the document is not intended to provide clinical guidance on disease diagnosis and management, it states that the application of breath biomarker measurement in a standardised manner will provide comparable results, which could facilitate the potential use of these biomarkers in clinical practice.