UC San Diego

There is a need to develop markers for early detection of organ failure in shock that can be noninvasively measured at point of care. We explore here the use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in expired air in a rat peritonitis shock model. Expired breath samples were collected into Tedlar gas bags and analyzed by standardized gas chromatography. The gas chromatograms were digitally analyzed for presence of peak amounts over a range of Kovach indices. Following the induction of peritonitis, selected volatile compounds were detected within about 1 h, which remained at elevated amounts over a 6 h observation period. These VOCs were not present in control animals without peritonitis. Comparisons with know VOCs indicate that they include 1,4-diaminobutane and trimethylamine N-oxide. When pancreatic digestive proteases were blocked with tranexamic acid in the intestine and peritoneum, a procedure that serves to reduce organ failure in shock, the amounts of VOCs in the breath decreased spontaneously to control values without peritonitis. These results indicate that peritonitis shock is accompanied by development of volatile organic compounds that may be generated by digestive enzymes in the small intestine. VOCs may serve as indicators for detection of early forms of autodigestion by digestive proteases.