Here we share information about breath analysis and its applications to improve people’s health.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Part 2 - Breath Analysis potential for OSA

by Jyoti Srivastava

Chronic lack of sleep affects metabolic function and overall performance and health. In Part 1 of this OSA series, we touched on how metabolism is regulated during sleep. Now in Part 2, we explore how breath analysis has the potential to help with sleep disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). We will give a background into OSA, the current diagnostic tools, and the potential of breath analysis.

Metabolic symptoms of OSA

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder due to a collapse of the throat resulting in a partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway. This can lead to a decrease in blood oxygen levels and disrupt the quality of sleep, causing daytime fatigue, irritability, and other health problems if left untreated. OSA is common in older adults, primarily in overweight or obese individuals as well as those with a family history of the condition. Current treatment options include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in addition to lifestyle changes such as weight loss and avoiding alcohol can improve metabolic function and reduce the risk of metabolic disorders. In some severe cases, surgical interventions are required.

Key molecular mechanisms involved in the development and progression of OSA include inflammation and the dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Studies have shown that repeated episodes of hypoxia and reoxygenation during sleep in persons with OSA, can lead to increased oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. The repeated episodes of upper airway obstruction can lead to changes in ANS activity, increasing sympathetic nervous system activity and decreasing parasympathetic nervous system activity.

OSA leads to changes in metabolism over time due to the drop in blood oxygen levels and increase stress on the body. Specifically, OSA has been associated with disruptions in glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and changes in appetite-regulating hormones, which can contribute to the development of metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. Obesity in turn is a significant risk factor for developing sleep apnea, as excess weight can increase the likelihood of airway obstruction during sleep.

The potential of breath analysis for OSA validation and monitoring

Breath Analysis potential for OSA

Currently, OSA is diagnosed using a combination of clinical evaluation, patient history, and sleep studies using polysomnography (PSG), which measures various physiological parameters, such as brain waves, eye movements, muscle activity, heart rate, and breathing patterns. However, PSG is a relatively expensive procedure, inconvenient for individuals and the variability can make it difficult to compare results or to accurately assess the severity of sleep disorders.

Encouraging results from studies using breath analysis have disclosed altered breath pattern in OSA patients with differences in vigilance-state-dependent metabolism. Breath analysis by SESI-HRMS offers the potential to screen, validate and monitor OSA as an objective measure in combination with OSA screening questionnaires for a comprehensive sleep assessment.

👉 Check out this references:

DBI supports research to further validate the complex relationship between metabolism and sleep as well as sleep disorders in the development of metabolic diseases. Further research is required to quantify breath marker-threshold levels and to substantiate the full potential of our exploratory technology to monitor and validate sleep disorders.

See the following video about breath research:

Back to overview