Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Liver Diseases

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Liver diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and viral hepatitis have the potential to progress to cirrhosis and finally hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Early diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases is important since progression is likely and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, in daily clinical practice no specific and non-invasive biomarkers are used for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with liver diseases. It is known that patients with liver diseases produce compounds that can be excreted in breath as a consequence of metabolic processes, inflammation and/or oxidative stress. These are called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Analysis of VOCs in exhaled air has been reported to provide valuable information in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Also, in patients with liver disease, exhaled VOCs have been detected. The investigators hypothesize that analysis of VOCs in exhaled air of patients with liver diseases can be used for diagnosis and follow-up.

Official Title
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Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in Exhaled Air as a Non-invasive Biomarker for Liver Diseases

Conditions
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Liver Diseases

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Established diagnosis of liver diseases based on laboratory, radiological and histological characteristics Age between 18 and 85 years Exclusion Criteria: Inflammatory bowel disease Chronic obstructive lung disease, lung cancer, asthma Rheumatoid arthritis

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 85 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Patients with liver diseases of various etiologies<br>viral hepatitis cholestatic liver diseases auto-immune hepatitis NAFLD ALD sarcoidosis of the liver | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| To establish the validity of VOC analysis in exhaled air to discriminate between liver diseases and non-diseased controls |  | 12 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| To compare the VOC profiles in exhaled air between various liver diseases |  | 12 months | 
| To compare the VOC analysis before, during and after therapeutic interventions in various liver diseases |  | 12 months | 
| To compare VOC profiles with systemic inflammatory and oxidative stress markers |  | 12 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Liver diseases, Volatile organic compounds, Inflammation, Oxidative stress, non-invasive tests