Researchers have successfully identified heart failure in patients by using exhaled breath analysis, according to a new study. The results revealed that a non-invasive test based on patients’ unique breathprints is able to distinguish between those with heart failure from those without heart failure. The findings provide a new avenue to understanding heart failure and who may be at risk for hospital readmission due to heart failure.
Detecting heart failure through exhaled breath relies on analysis of hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Using technology from previous research to identify VOCs that correlate with the presence of cardiovascular disease, a team of investigators conducted a prospective, single-center study to assess whether exhaled breath analysis can identify patients admitted to the hospital with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).
“While additional examination is needed to determine the true potential of breath analysis for heart failure identification in our patients, we’re very encouraged by these results,” said Raed Dweik, MD, a doctor at Cleveland Clinic, and lead investigator for the study. “The ability to identify patients with heart failure using a breath test has the potential for broad application due to its non-invasive nature and ease of application. These exciting new observations may lead to future studies to determine how to best utilize these information to reduce heart failure re-hospitalizations.”
A team approach using expertise in both cardiovascular and pulmonary disease was imperative for this study’s success. Wilson Tang, MD, also of the Cleveland Clinic, applied specialized knowledge in cardiac medicine, which allowed a comprehensive understanding of the study’s outcomes.
The study included 61 patients. Of those, 25 patients were admitted with heart failure as a primary diagnosis, 16 control subjects with non-heart failure cardiovascular categorization. An additional 36 subjects were used to validate the positive research findings.
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