Application of breathomics in pediatric asthma: a review

Abstract

Breathomics involves the use of non-invasive methods for diagnosing asthma by analyzing exhaled breath. While significant progress has been made in applying this approach to adult asthma, extending its application to pediatric asthma is crucial due to the increasing concern in this population. This review delineates five potential clinical applications: asthma diagnosis, differential diagnosis of asthma, assessment of asthma control levels, prediction of asthma exacerbation, and asthma phenotyping. Additionally, it highlights the moderate to reasonable predictive accuracy of exhaled breath volatile organic compounds (VOCs) breathomics in childhood asthma. However, it acknowledges that this field is still in its nascent stage of development, with particularly limited data available for Asian populations. Moreover, the identification of VOC biomarkers in pediatric asthma patients remains inconclusive, with varying reports. Therefore, large-scale data collection and standardization are imperative. Refinement and methodological improvements are necessary before integrating breathomics into clinical practice. This article provides clear directions for future research to optimize the clinical applicability of breathomics in evaluating asthma in children.