Targeted Analysis of VOCS in Exhaled Breath of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis Patients, An Exploratory Study

Rui Gao; Lijia Yu; Qingyu Meng; Yazhen He; Fangda Peng; Xiangfu Cao; Qingjun Qian; Qicai Liu; Gaisheng Liu; Fan Yang; Yiwei Shi; Qingsong Chen; Chunguang Ding

doi:10.46234/ccdcw2024.278

Targeted Analysis of VOCS in Exhaled Breath of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis Patients, An Exploratory Study

China CDC Wkly. 2024 Dec 27;6(52):1403-1409. doi: 10.46234/ccdcw2024.278.

Authors

Rui Gao^{1

2

3}, Lijia Yu¹, Qingyu Meng¹, Yazhen He^{1

2

3}, Fangda Peng^{1

2}, Xiangfu Cao¹, Qingjun Qian¹, Qicai Liu¹, Gaisheng Liu⁴, Fan Yang⁴, Yiwei Shi⁵, Qingsong Chen³, Chunguang Ding^{1

2

3

5}

Affiliations

¹ National Center for Occupational Safety and Health, NHC, Beijing, China.
² NHC Key Laboratory for Engineering Control of Dust Hazard, Beijing, China.
³ Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China.
⁴ Xishan Coal and Electricity (Group) Co., Ltd. Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Center, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, China.
⁵ NHC Key Laboratory of Pneumoconiosis, MOE Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Pneumoconiosis represents the most prevalent occupational disease in China, with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) showing the highest incidence. Analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the exhaled breath of CWP patients may provide novel insights into its pathogenesis.

Methods: Study data were collected through questionnaires and medical examinations. Thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was employed for targeted VOC analysis. Differential VOCs were identified using OPLS-DA, the Mann-Whitney U test, and fold change analysis. The discriminatory efficacy of differential VOCs was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Spearman correlation analysis explored relationships between differential VOCs, lung function indices, and blood cell levels.

Results: The pneumoconiosis group showed elevated concentrations of 10 compounds, including isopentane, n-pentane, and isoprene, while four compounds, including 2,4-dimethylpentane, methylcyclohexane, 2,3,4-trimethylpentane, and 2-methylheptane showed decreased concentrations. Combined univariate and multivariate statistical analyses identified six significant VOCs, including isopentane and pentane. Notably, isopentane and n-pentane demonstrated negative correlations with forced vital capacity and levels, while 2-methylheptane showed positive correlations.

Discussion: Clear metabolic differences in VOCs exist between CWP patients and non-dust-exposed healthy controls. Six compounds - isopentane, n-pentane, 3-methylpentane, n-hexane, cyclohexane, and 2-methylheptane - in exhaled breath demonstrate potential as biomarkers for CWP.

Keywords: Exhaled breath; Pneumoconiosis; Potential biomarker; Volatile organic compounds.

Grants and funding

Supported by the National Center for Occupational Safety and Health Self-management Project of China (2019009) and the Central Public-Interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Project of China (2020-PT320-005)