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.