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Exhaled Breath Condensate pH in Lung Cancer, the Impact of Clinical Factors

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Abstract

Purpose

Lung cancer may be associated with airway acidification due to enhanced airway inflammation and oxidative stress. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH is a non-invasive indicator of airway acidity; however, it is still unclear how EBC pH changes in lung cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate EBC pH in lung cancer together with clinical variables.

Methods

Thirty-five patients with lung cancer and 37 control subjects (21 patients with stable COPD and 16 non-COPD smokers) were enrolled. EBC was collected for pH, which was determined with the argon-purging method, compared among the groups and correlated with clinical variables of patients with lung cancer.

Results

No difference was found in EBC pH between patients with lung cancer and control subjects. However, endobronchial tumour localisation, squamous-cell carcinoma subtype and gastro-oesophageal reflux were associated with low EBC pH values. No relationship was observed between EBC pH and the presence of COPD, lung function variables or smoking history.

Conclusions

Although, EBC pH is unchanged in lung cancer, lower EBC pH values are associated with distinct phenotypes. Our findings could facilitate further research on airway acidity in lung cancer.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by Hungarian National Research Fund (OTKA 68808) and Hungarian Respiratory Society (grant to Nora Gyulai). Andras Bikov received sanofi-aventis scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis University, 1/C Dios arok, Budapest, 1125, Hungary

    Andras Bikov, Zsofia Lazar, Nora Gyulai, Marton Szentkereszty, Gyorgy Losonczy, Ildiko Horvath & Gabriella Galffy

  2. National Koranyi Institute for TB and Pulmonology, 1 Piheno ut, Budapest, 1121, Hungary

    Ildiko Horvath

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  1. Andras Bikov
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  2. Zsofia Lazar
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  3. Nora Gyulai
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  4. Marton Szentkereszty
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Correspondence to Andras Bikov.

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Bikov, A., Lazar, Z., Gyulai, N. et al. Exhaled Breath Condensate pH in Lung Cancer, the Impact of Clinical Factors. Lung 193, 957–963 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-015-9778-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-015-9778-7

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