
Asthmatics exhaled fewer particles than controls. The ratio of unsaturated to saturated phospholipids was also lower in patients with asthma.
The study authors concluded that analysis of exhaled particles is a promising method to examine the composition of respiratory tract lining fluid. This exploratory study successfully differentiated asthmatics and healthy controls based on spectrometry of exhaled air.
Editor's note: This is an interesting study but its practical implications in the near future are unclear.
References:
TOF-SIMS analysis of exhaled particles from patients with asthma and healthy controls. A-C. Almstrand et al. ERJ January 1, 2012 vol. 39 no. 1 59-66.
Image source: OpenClipArt, public domain.