Exhaled Breath Particles as a Clinical Indicator for Lung Injury and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Plain-language summary

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) reflects the hallmark of the critical course of coronavirus (COVID19). The investigators have recently shown that Exhaled Breath Particles (EBP) measured as particle flow rate (PFR) from the airways could be used as a noninvasive real-time early detection method for primary graft dysfunction (which bears a pathophysiological resemblance to ARDS) in lung transplant patients. The investigators have also previously demonstrated the utility of PFR in early detection and monitoring of ARDS in a large animal model. PFR has been shown to be elevated prior to the cytokine storm which classically occurs in ARDS. Early detection of ALI and ARDS is intimately linked to a patient's chance of survival as early treatment consisting of the preparation for intensive care, prone positioning and protective mechanical ventilation can be implemented early in the process. In the present study the investigators aim to use real-time PFR as an early detector for COVID19-induced ARDS. The investigators will also collect EBPs onto a membrane for subsequent molecular analysis. Previous studies have shown that most of those proteins found in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) can also be detected in EBPs deposited on membranes. The investigators therefore also aim to be able to diagnose COVID19 by analyzing EBPs using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) with the same specificity as PCR from BAL, with the added benefit of being able to identify protein biomarkers for early detection of ARDS.

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