Hydrogen peroxide release and acid-base status in exhaled breath condensate at rest and after maximal exercise in young, healthy subjects

Abstract

Objective. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) contains among a large number of mediators hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a marker of airway inflammation and oxidative stress. Similarly EBC pH also changes in respiratory diseases. It was the aim of our investigation to prove if hydrogen peroxide release and changes in pH of EBC changes with exercise. Methods. EBC was collected from 100 litres exhaled air along with samples of arterialized blood of 16 healthy subjects (9 males, 7 females, age 23 1 years). EBC hydrogen peroxide was analyzed with EcoCheck amperometer (FILT, Berlin). The rate of H2O2release was calculated from the concentration and collection time. pH and PCO2in blood and in EBC were measured with the Radiometer blood gas analyzer, EBC was equilibrated with a gas mixture (5% CO2in O2). The bicarbonate concentration was calculated according to the law of mass action for CO2and HCO3- (pK = 6.1). Results: H2O2concentration in EBC was 190 109 nmol/l, and H2O2release at rest was 31.0 18.3 pmol/min. At maximal exercise, the H2O = concentration in EBC increased to 250 120 nmol/l, and H2O2release significantly increased at maximal exercise to 84.4 39.9 pmol/min (P < 0.01). At rest pH of the CO2equilibrated EBC was at 6.08 0.23 and the [HCO 3-] was 1.03 0.40 mmol/l. At maximum exercise, pH 6.18 0.17 and [HCO3-] 1.23 0.30 mmol/l remained almost unaltered. Conclusions: The rate of H2O2release in EBC increased during exhausting exercise (external load: 300 Watt) by a factor of 2, whereas the pH and the bicarbonate concentration of the EBC, equilibrated with 5% CO2at 37°C were not significantly altered. It has to be proven by further experiments whether there is a linear relationship between the rates of H2O2release in EBC in graded submaximal exercise. © 2009 I. Holzapfel Publishers.