Breath analysis of hydrogen peroxide as a diagnostic tool

The potential diagnostic significance of exhaled hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in pulmonary and systemic disorders has received considerable interest over the last few decades. Despite large physiologic variability and low specificity, airway H2O2 generation has been found to be consistently increased by inflammatory conditions. Furthermore, the level of exhaled H2O2 has been associated with efficacy of treatment in various pulmonary diseases. To evaluate this potential biomarker, detection methods including standardization protocols have been developed. Despite these advances, more comprehensive and controlled studies are required. In this manuscript we review progress to date in the analytical measurement of exhaled H2O2 and speculate on its potential clinical significance as a diagnostic tool. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.