Blood Tests or Breath Tests
More than 20 million Americans suffer from chronic renal failure and must undergo periodic dialysis treatment. They also must have their blood tested frequently to assess the effectiveness of the dialysis procedure. Research has shown that exhaled breath contains biomarker molecules such as ammonia (NH3) that also provide information about how well a person’s kidneys are functioning. Although blood tests are unlikely to be completely eliminated from monitoring protocols, it may be possible to reduce their frequency by replacing them with much less invasive breath testing.
Small Molecules in Breath
Prior research has shown that exhaled NH3 concentrations correlate well with measurements of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations. Future research can further establish NH3 and perhaps other small molecules as useful biomarkers for monitoring renal function. New instrumentation for performing these measurements, such as the Ekips Breathmeter, can make this research much easier to conduct than previously possible.
More than 20 million Americans suffer from chronic renal failure and must undergo periodic dialysis treatment. They also must have their blood tested frequently to assess the effectiveness of the dialysis procedure. Research has shown that exhaled breath contains biomarker molecules such as ammonia (NH3) that also provide information about how well a person’s kidneys are functioning. Although blood tests are unlikely to be completely eliminated from monitoring protocols, it may be possible to reduce their frequency by replacing them with much less invasive breath testing.
Small Molecules in Breath
Prior research has shown that exhaled NH3 concentrations correlate well with measurements of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations. Future research can further establish NH3 and perhaps other small molecules as useful biomarkers for monitoring renal function. New instrumentation for performing these measurements, such as the Ekips Breathmeter, can make this research much easier to conduct than previously possible.
