Faecal gas analysis by electronic nose as novel, non-invasive method for assessment of active and quiescent paediatric inflammatory bowel disease: Proof of principle study

Abstract

Faecal VOC analysis allowed discrimination of paediatric patients with IBD from controls, both during active disease and remission. It therefore has potential as non-invasive test, in both diagnostic work-up and assessment of disease activity in IBD.

Letter: volatile metabolomics of exhaled breath or faecal gas? – authors' reply

“…1,2 We congratulate the authors on their work using faecal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to discriminate between paediatric patients with ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and controls. 3 We are in full agreement with the authors' notion that VOCs can originate from a variety of compartments both in health and in disease -the primary affected organ, its direct vicinity, from systemic responses, the diet and the environment. This conceptually complements our recent review article strictly focused on breath VOCs in IBD.…”

“…2 While it is justified to speculate that breath VOCs in IBD could be influenced by a combination of local and systemic responses, currently no data are available to clarify the differential contribution, or even provide any guidance, as to the major contributing compartment. By analysing faecal gas, the approach by Meij et al 3 is certainly a clever way to expand our understanding in this area.…”

Application of Fecal Volatile Organic Compound Analysis in Clinical Practice: Current State and Future Perspectives

“…In addition, CD could also be differentiated from HC with a high diagnostic accuracy, whereas the diagnostic accuracy to discriminate between UC and HC was moderate (Table 3). Notably, in that study no significant differences were seen between CD and UC, in contrast to the previous study performed by an eNose [38]. This contrast might be explained by the usage of different analytical techniques.…”

“…In 2014, de Meij et al studied differences in fecal VOC patterns between pediatric de novo treatment-naïve IBD patients and 29 HC by means of an eNose (Cyranose 320 ® ) at baseline and upon achieving remission (at 6 weeks of follow-up) [38]. Both active UC and CD could be distinguished from healthy controls based on their VOC profiles (Table 3).…”

Letter: volatile metabolomics of exhaled breath or faecal gas?

“…3 The authors furthermore mention the inability to identify individual compounds as a major disadvantage of electronic nose technology. We feel this statement requires some clarification.…”