Screening of Chorioamnionitis Using Volatile Organic Compound Detection in Exhaled Breath: A Pre-clinical Proof of Concept Study

Chorioamnionitis is a major risk factor for preterm birth and an independent postnatal morbidity which currently successful therapies are lacking. Emerging evidence indicates that the timing duration of intra-amniotic infections crucial determinants stage developmental injury at birth. Insight into dynamical changes organ after onset chorioamnionitis revealed novel therapeutic windows opportunity. Importantly, development implementation in clinical care impeded by lack diagnostic tools early (prenatal) detection surveillance infections. In current study we questioned whether infection could be accurately diagnosed specific volatile organic compound (VOC) profile exhaled breath pregnant sheep. For this purpose Texel ewes were inoculated intra-amniotically with Ureaplasma parvum serial collections performed 6 days. induced distinct VOC-signature expired sheep was significantly different between day 0 1 vs. 5 6. Based on only 15 discriminatory volatiles, animals correctly classified as either infected (day 6) or not 1) sensitivity 83% specificity 71% area under curve 0.93. Chemical identification these VOCs presence lipid peroxidation marker nonanal various hydrocarbons including n-undecane n-dodecane. These data indicate can detected VOC analyses might provide insight temporal dynamics its underlying pathways. particular, several volatiles associated enhanced oxidative stress undecane dodecane have been reported predictive biomarker spontaneous humans. Applying analysis will lead to appropriate high-risk pregnancies, thereby facilitating course action treatment preventative measures pre-maturity-associated morbidities.