Analysis of Exhaled Breath From Patients With Lung-/Airway Diseases (BigExBrESs) (BigExBrESs)

May 28, 2026 updated by: University of Zurich
Ananlyis of exhaled breath of patients with lung-/airway diseases to identify and distinguish respiratory diseases, and improve the disease manangament.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Breath analysis offers a unique opportunity to non-invasively retrieve unlimited samples of relevant information on the ongoing internal biochemical processes, as parts of the most volatile components in blood reach the gas phase and are subsequently exhaled (e.g. detection of ethanol in breath). Analysis of exhaled breath provides biochemical information about the metabolism and the pathophysiological state. Chemical analysis of exhaled breath with mass spectrometry identified numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) [low molecular weightcomponents:< 500 Dalton (Da)]. Using Big Data analytics, specific patterns of diverse respiratory disease (e.g. for COPD and asthma) can be identified and the different diseases can be distinguished from each other. Specific Big Data Analytics might also improve the management of disease (e.g.avoiding of exacerbations) by identifying early signs of exacerbation risk.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

5000

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Switzerland
    • Canton of Zurich
      • Zurich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, 8091
        • Recruiting
        • University Hospital Zurich
        • Contact:
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

General population

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Signed informed consent
  • Age ≥ 18 years at study entry

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Physical or intellectual impairment precluding informed consent or protocol adherence
  • Known pregnancy

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Case-Control
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Lung-/Airway diseases
Patients with lung-/airway diseases
Other: No intervention
no intervention
Controls
Participants without lung-/airway disease
Other: No intervention
no intervention

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Molecular breath pattern
Time Frame: at baseline
Comparison of molecular weights of breath features from patients with different respiratory diseases
at baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in molecular breath pattern
Time Frame: over one year
Change in the molecular breath pattern during the course of the disease (untargeted approach)
over one year
Symptoms
Time Frame: at baseline
Correlation/Association of molecular weights of specific breath features with symptoms (e.g. dyspnea)
at baseline
Inflammatory markers
Time Frame: at baseline
Correlation/Association of molecular weights of specific breath features with inflammatory markers (e.g. eosinophils)
at baseline
Controls
Time Frame: at baseline
Differentiation of molecular breath pattern (m/z ratios of molecules in exhaled breath) between diseased patients and participants without respiratory disease (untargeted approach)
at baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Zurich

Collaborators

Deep Breath Intelligence (DBI)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 11, 2021

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 30, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 13, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

July 14, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 28, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2021-00539

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

if requested

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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