| abstract |
A device and method for non-invasively monitoring asthma and other respiratory and non-respiratory diseases. The method includes collecting condensate from a subject's breath, testing the condensate to determine its acetic acid/acetate level or concentration, and evaluating these properties to determine the presence, absence or status of a respiratory or non-respiratory disease in the subject. The method may also include, before the testing step, standardizing the volatile substances that may be present in the condensate in a degassing or gas standardizing step. The device (10) includes a mouthpiece apparatus (20) for receiving a subject's breath, a condensation apparatus (60) to condense the subject's breath and produce a condensate, and a collection apparatus (100) having a collection chamber (102) containing means (116) for testing the condensate to determine the acetic acid or acetate concentration. The device may also include a system (150) for removing or standardizing the volatile substances that may be present with the condensate. |