Determinants of exhaled breath condensate pH in a large population with asthma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH is 2 log orders below normal during acute asthma exacerbations and returns to normal with antiinflammatory therapy. However, the determinants of EBC pH, particularly in stable asthma, are poorly understood. We hypothesized that patients with severe asthma would have low EBC pH and that there would be an asthma subpopulation of patients with characteristically low values.

Methods

We studied the association of EBC pH with clinical characteristics in 572 stable subjects enrolled in the Severe Asthma Research Program. These included 250 subjects with severe asthma, 291 with nonsevere asthma, and 31 healthy control subjects.

Results

Overall, EBC in this population of stable, treated study subjects was not lower in severe asthma

SUBMITTER: Liu L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3032364 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature