Trace gases in breath of healthy volunteers when fasting and after a protein-calorie meal: a preliminary study

Abstract

The selected ion flow tube technique was used to quantify in breath the trace gases acetone, ammonia, ethanol, isoprene, and methanol during single exhalations while fasting and in response to feeding. Six normal volunteers were fasted for 12 h, and, after baseline breath samples were obtained, were fed a liquid protein-calorie meal to provide 0.47 g/kg of protein (Fortisip). Further breath samples were obtained at 20, 40, and 60 min, and then hourly for a further 5 h. Breath acetone concentrations fell from a maximum during fasting, reaching their nadir between 4 and 5 h. Breath ammonia concentrations fell immediately to one-half their fasting levels before a steady increase to two or three times baseline values at 5 h. There was a brief increase in breath ethanol concentrations after feeding, reflecting detectable ethanol contamination of the food. Subsequently, breath ethanol levels remained low throughout the experimental protocol. Isoprene concentrations did not change significantly, whereas changes in methanol concentrations reflected those in the ambient air. This preliminary study indicates that the selected ion flow tube technique may be used to detect changes in the trace gases present in breath and define their concentrations in the fasting and replete state. Of particular interest is the biphasic response of the breath ammonia concentration after feeding.