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Investigation and identification of breath acetone as a potential biomarker for type 2 diabetes diagnosis

  • Article
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Published:
Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

Acetone is regarded as a promising biomarker for the noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes. We collected breath acetone from 25 type 2 diabetics (T2D) and 44 healthy subjects using aluminum foil bags (3 L), and the samples were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. T2D patients had significantly higher acetone levels (mean = 2.167 ppmv (1 ppmv = 1 μL/L), standard error (SE) = 0.231) than healthy volunteers (mean = 0.488 ppmv, SE = 0.025; P < 0.0001). The receiver operating characteristics curve showed that the optimum diagnostic cutoff value for exhaled acetone was 0.891 ppmv (area under the curve 0.999, sensitivity 100 %, and specificity 97.7 %) in T2D patients relative to healthy subjects. Thus, breath acetone could be a useful marker for the high accuracy diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes. In addition, the ratios of the mean acetone concentration in ambient air relative to that in the total exhaled air and in the net exhaled air were 1:18 and 1:17, respectively. The post-breakfast acetone concentrations (mean = 0.437 ppmv, SE = 0.035) were slightly lower than the pre-breakfast levels (mean = 0.553 ppmv, SE = 0.047; P > 0.05). Thus, the increased acetone concentrations in T2D patients are affected strongly by physiological factors related to the disease, rather than the ambient air and diet.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Recruitment Program of Global Experts (NRPGE), the Hundred Talents Program of Sichuan Province (HTPSP), and the Startup Funding of Sichuan University for setting up the Research Center of Analytical Instrumentation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center of Analytical Instrumentation, Analytical & Testing Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China

    Mei-Gui Zhou, Yong Liu, Wen-Wen Li, Xin Yuan, Xue-Fang Zhan, Jie Li & Yi-Xiang Duan

  2. Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, China

    Yu Liu, Zhao-Hua Gao & Yan Cheng

  3. 208th Hospital of People’s Liberation Army, Changchun, 130041, China

    Shou-Quan Cheng, Hong Li & Yuan Liang

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  1. Mei-Gui Zhou
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  2. Yong Liu
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  3. Wen-Wen Li
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  4. Xin Yuan
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  5. Xue-Fang Zhan
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  6. Jie Li
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  7. Yi-Xiang Duan
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  8. Yu Liu
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  9. Zhao-Hua Gao
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  10. Yan Cheng
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  11. Shou-Quan Cheng
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  12. Hong Li
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  13. Yuan Liang
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yi-Xiang Duan or Yu Liu.

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Zhou, MG., Liu, Y., Li, WW. et al. Investigation and identification of breath acetone as a potential biomarker for type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Chin. Sci. Bull. 59, 1992–1998 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-014-0244-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-014-0244-3

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