The effect of different periods of argon deaeration on exhaled breath condensate pH.

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH has been considered as a biomarker of airway inflammation in asthma. However, little information is available on the duration of argon deaeration required to achieve a stable pH in EBC samples.To identify differences in EBC pH after argon deaeration for 2, 4, and 8 min.EBC pH was determined in EBC samples from 48 subjects with allergic rhinitis (11 asthmatics) and 14 healthy volunteers without deaeration and after argon deaeration for 2, 4, and 8 min.The mean (95% CI) pH values obtained from samples analyzed after 4 min [7.66 (7.52-7.80)] and 8 min [7.70 (7.55-7.85)] of argon deaeration were significantly less acidic (p.001) than those identified after 2 m…