New Perspectives in Monitoring Lung Inflammation : Analysis of Exhaled Breath Condensate

Attracting the attention of the medical community, exhaled breath condensate is a completely non-invasive method for sampling secretions from the airways. Analysis of exhaled breath condensate is potentially useful for monitoring airway inflammation and in pharmacological therapy. With its non-invasive nature, this method may be suitable for longitudinal studies even in children and in patients with lung severe disease. New Perspectives in Monitoring Lung Inflammation provides an introduction to the analysis of exhaled breath condensate for monitoring lung inflammation. The book presents current knowledge on the physicochemical properties of exhaled breath condensate and its formation in the airways and covers important aspects of the methodology. It details markers, and classes of markers, of airway inflammation in separate chapters and discusses the use of the technique in adults and children. The text also reviews the implications for drug development and future research. The volume concludes with an overview of lung inflammation focusing on basic and clinical pharmacology of important mediators. Presenting a comprehensive view of exhaled breath condensate, the text explains how this method could play a major role in the diagnosis and therapy of lung diseases, and may launch a new era in respiratory medicine.