Breath Biopsy^® to Identify Exhaled Volatile Organic Compounds Biomarkers for Liver Cirrhosis Detection

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomarker Discovery
• Non-invasive Diagnostics

Background:

• Chronic liver disease affects over 30% of adults globally, necessitating improved diagnostic and monitoring tools.
• Breath analysis offers a non-invasive method for early disease detection and management.
• Previous studies focused on single biomarkers; this research explores a multiparametric approach for enhanced reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify novel breath volatile organic compound (VOC) biomarkers for liver disease detection.
• To develop a robust, multiparametric breath test for clinical application.
• To correlate breath biomarkers with liver function metrics and disease severity.

Main Methods:

• Compared breath samples from 46 cirrhosis patients and 42 controls using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
• Utilized Breath Biopsy OMNI™ technology for high-sensitivity biomarker detection.
• Analyzed blank samples to characterize background volatile organic compound (VOC) levels.

Main Results:

• Identified 29 breath VOCs significantly differentiating cirrhosis patients from controls.
• A classification model using these VOCs achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.95±0.04.
• A panel of seven VOCs demonstrated high classification performance and correlated with liver function and disease severity.

Conclusions:

• A panel of seven VOCs shows potential for liver disease detection and monitoring.
• These biomarkers correlate with disease severity and serum biomarkers in advanced stages.
• Multiparametric breath analysis offers a promising non-invasive approach for liver disease management.