The Role of Exhaled Breath Analyses in Interstitial Lung Disease

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) represent a group of lung disorders that primarily affect the lung parenchyma. These disorders are usually progressive, may be debilitating and life threatening, and often pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Exhaled breath analyses offer opportunity for diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and to predict prognosis and treatment outcomes. Numerous studies have been published using various exhaled biomarker analyses, including exhaled nitric oxide, exhaled breath condensate, and exhaled volatile organic compounds. This review summarises and critically appraises the literature and offers suggestions for further research to apply exhaled biomarker analyses in clinical practice.