CLINICAL-EVALUATION OF A MINIATURIZED DESK-TOP BREATH HYDROGEN ANALYZER

A small desktop electrochemical H-2 analyzer (EC-60-Hydrogen monitor) was compared with a stationary electrochemical H-2 monitor (GMI-exhale d Hydrogen monitor). Results: The EC-60-H-2 monitor shows a high degre e of precision for repetitive (n=10) measurements of standard hydrogen mixtures (CV 1-8%). The response time for completion of measurement i s shorter than that of the GMI-exhaled H-2 monitor (37 sec. vs 53 sec. ; p<0.0001), while reset times are almost identical (54 sec. vs 51 sec . n.s). In a clinical setting, breath H-2-concentrations measured with the EC-60-H-2 monitor and the GMI-exhaled H-2 monitor were in excelle nt agreement with a linear correlation (Y = 1.12X + 1.022, r2 = 0.9617 , n = 115). With increasing H-2-concentrations the EC-60-H-2 monitor r equired larger sample volumes for maintaining sufficient precision, an d sample volumes greater than 200 ml were required with H-2-concentrat ions >30 ppm. Conclusion: For routine gastrointestinal function testin g, the EC-60-H-2 monitor is an satisfactory and reliable, easy to use and inexpensive desktop breath hydrogen analyzer, whereas in patients with difficulty in cooperating (children, people with severe pulmonary insufficiency), special care has to be applied to obtain sufficiently large breath samples.