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NCT Number: NCT05458934

Analysis of Exhaled Breath From Patients With Lung-/Airway Diseases (BigExBrESs)

Ananlyis of exhaled breath of patients with lung-/airway diseases to identify and distinguish respiratory diseases, and improve the disease manangament.

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Key information

Conditions

Lung-/Airway Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

About this study

Breath analysis offers a unique opportunity to non-invasively retrieve unlimited samples of relevant information on the ongoing internal biochemical processes, as parts of the most volatile components in blood reach the gas phase and are subsequently exhaled (e.g. detection of ethanol in breath). Analysis of exhaled breath provides biochemical information about the metabolism and the pathophysiological state. Chemical analysis of exhaled breath with mass spectrometry identified numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) [low molecular weightcomponents:< 500 Dalton (Da)]. Using Big Data analytics, specific patterns of diverse respiratory disease (e.g. for COPD and asthma) can be identified and the different diseases can be distinguished from each other. Specific Big Data Analytics might also improve the management of disease (e.g.avoiding of exacerbations) by identifying early signs of exacerbation risk.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Signed informed consent
  • Age ≥ 18 years at study entry

Exclusion criteria

  • Physical or intellectual impairment precluding informed consent or protocol adherence
  • Known pregnancy

Treatment and study plan

No intervention

Other

no intervention

Primary outcomes

  1. Molecular breath pattern

    Time frame: at baseline

    Comparison of molecular weights of breath features from patients with different respiratory diseases

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in molecular breath pattern

    Time frame: over one year

    Change in the molecular breath pattern during the course of the disease (untargeted approach)

  2. Symptoms

    Time frame: at baseline

    Correlation/Association of molecular weights of specific breath features with symptoms (e.g. dyspnea)

  3. Inflammatory markers

    Time frame: at baseline

    Correlation/Association of molecular weights of specific breath features with inflammatory markers (e.g. eosinophils)

  4. Controls

    Time frame: at baseline

    Differentiation of molecular breath pattern (m/z ratios of molecules in exhaled breath) between diseased patients and participants without respiratory disease (untargeted approach)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Malcolm Kohler, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+41442551111

Noriane Sievi, MSc

CONTACT

[email protected]

+41442559815

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Zurich

Other

Collaborators

  • Deep Breath Intelligence (DBI)

Registry information

Acronym: BigExBrESs

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2030
Study completion
2030
First posted
Jul 14, 2022
Registry last updated
May 29, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.