Ambient temperature impacts on pH of exhaled breath condensate

  1. Andreas R. KOCZULLA1,*,
  2. Sarah NOESKE1,
  3. Christian HERR1,
  4. Frank DETTE1,
  5. Olaf PINKENBURG1,
  6. Severin SCHMID1,
  7. Rudolf A. JÖRRES2,
  8. Claus VOGELMEIER1,
  9. Robert BALS1

Article first published online: 23 NOV 2009

DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2009.01664.x

Issue

Respirology

Respirology

Volume 15, Issue 1, pages 155–159, January 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

KOCZULLA, A. R., NOESKE, S., HERR, C., DETTE, F., PINKENBURG, O., SCHMID, S., JÖRRES, R. A., VOGELMEIER, C. and BALS, R. (2010), Ambient temperature impacts on pH of exhaled breath condensate. Respirology, 15: 155–159. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2009.01664.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonology, Philipps-University Marburg, and

  2. 2

    Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, D-80336 Munich, Germany

*Andreas R. Koczulla, Department of Pulmonology, University Giessen and Marburg, Baldingerstrasse 1, 35043 Marburg, Germany. Email: koczulla@med.uni-marburg.de

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 27 DEC 2009
  2. Article first published online: 23 NOV 2009
  3. Received 17 February 2009; invited to revise 30 March 2009, 3 August 2009; revised 25 June 2009, 8 September 2009; accepted 10 September 2009 (Associate Editor: CC Leung).

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Keywords:

  • exhaled breath condensate (EBC);
  • pH;
  • ambient temperature;
  • COPD;
  • cigarette smoke

Analysis of EBC pH was performed in healthy controls, smokers before/after smoking and stable and exacerbated COPD patients. EBC pH was measured after degassing at 23°C and 37°C. pH values were significantly higher at 37°C. Thus it should be considered that the measurement temperature affects pH values of EBC.

ABSTRACT

Background and objective:  Analysis of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH is a non-invasive method to study airway inflammation. Low pH is correlated with inflammatory diseases like asthma and COPD. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of measurement temperature on pH values of EBC.

Methods:  EBC was collected using the RTube in 10 healthy non-smoking controls, 10 smokers before and after cigarette smoking, 10 stable COPD patients and 10 patients with exacerbated COPD. pH was determined directly after degassing at temperatures of 23°C and 37°C.

Results:  When comparing all groups pH was significantly (P = 0.0002) higher (mean ± SD 7.88 ± 0.92) at 37°C as compared with 23°C (7.44 ± 0.90). Specifically, at 23°C pH was significantly lower in the group of exacerbated COPD (6.78 ± 1.27) and healthy non-smoking controls (8.04 ± 0.39). In contrast, subgroup analysis of values assessed at 37°C did not display significant differences.

Conclusions:  Our data indicate a considerable influence of temperature on pH values in EBC. Thus the temperature at which pH measurements in EBC studies are performed should be declared.

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