Breathprints of childhood obesity: changes in volatile organic compounds in obese children compared with lean controls. Issue 1 (27th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Alkhouri, N.; Eng, K.; Cikach, F.; Patel, N.; Yan, C.; Brindle, A.; Rome, E.; Hanouneh, I.; Grove, D.; Lopez, R.; Hazen, S. L; Dweik, Raed A.
• Is Part Of: Pediatric obesity. Volume 10:Issue 1(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: 23
• Page End: 29
• Publication Date: 2014-03-27
• Subjects: Obesity in children -- Periodicals; Obesity in adolescence -- Periodicals; Obesity -- Periodicals; Overweight children -- Periodicals; 618.92398
• DOI: 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2014.221.x
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-7174

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <sec id="ijpo221-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>The objective of this study was to investigate changes in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath in overweight/obese children compared with their lean counterparts.</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo221-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Study design</title> <p>Single exhaled breath was collected and analyzed per protocol using selective ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT‐MS).</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo221-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Sixty overweight/obese children and 55 lean controls were included. Compared with the lean group, the obese group was significantly older (14.1 ± 2.8 vs. 12.1 ± 3.0 years), taller (164.8 ± 10.9 vs. 153.3 ± 17.1 cm) and more likely to be Caucasian (60% vs. 35.2%); <italic>P</italic> < 0.05 for all. A comparison of the SIFT‐MS results of the obese group with the lean group revealed differences in concentration of more than 50 compounds. A panel of four VOCs can identify the presence of overweight/obesity with excellent accuracy. Further analysis revealed that breath isoprene, 1‐decene, 1‐octene, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide were significantly higher in the obese group compared with the lean group (<italic>P</italic> value < 0.01 for all).</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo221-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>Obese children have a unique pattern of exhaled VOCs. Changes in VOCs observed in this study may help to gain insight into pathophysiological processes and pathways leading to the development of childhood obesity.</p> </sec> </abstract>