Breath test could help diagnose diabetes in children

Diagnosing type 1 diabetes in children could be as simple as using a non-invasive breath test, according to a new study.

Researchers from Oxford, UK, discovered a link between a chemical marker in the breath and ketones in the blood - which can reveal the state of insulin levels.

Using this research as a platform, a simple diagnostic tool could be developed that identifies new cases of diabetes in children.

The role of acetone

Acetone, a by-product of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), is known to produce sweet-smelling breath in people with diabetes.

For the study, researchers collected samples of acetone in "breath bags," which they then compared to blood glucose and ketone levels.

"Our results have shown that it is realistically possible to use measurements of breath acetone to estimate blood ketones," said study co-author Gus Hancock.

Hancock and his team are working on developing a small, hand-held breath device that would identify children with diabetes.

"Currently testing for diabetes requires a blood test which can be traumatic for children," Hancock said. "Also, if the relationship between breath acetone and blood ketone levels is true at higher levels of ketones, a simple breath-test could assist with the management of sick days in children with diabetes, preventing hospital admissions by providing a warning of the possible development of DKA."

The study is published in the Journal of Breath Research.

Source:
Institute of Physics

Image courtesy of arztsamui/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Get a Free Diabetes Meal Plan

Get a free 7-Day Diabetes Meal Plan from Constance Brown-Riggs who is a Registered Dietitian-Certified Diabetes Educator and who is also a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Just enter in your email below to download your free Diabetes Meal Plan.

By clicking Submit, you agree to send your info to BattleDiabetes.com who, in addition to 3rd party partners, may contact you with updates, products and information and we agree to use it according to our privacy policy and terms and conditions.

More Articles

More Articles

For decades people with type-1 and advanced type-2 diabetes relied on painful and often flawed insulin injections to regulate blood sugar...

Scientists have discovered that a single gene forms a common link between type 2 diabetes and...

Natural supplements like cinnamon extract and apple cider vinegar could hold the key to lowering blood sugar levels, according to a recent...

Natural supplements like cinnamon extract and apple cider vinegar could hold the key to lowering blood sugar levels, according to a recent...

Could a person's risk for type 2 diabetes be written in their genes?

According to a study recently published in ...

Women who frequently shift around their sleeping hours could have worse metabolic health outcomes than their peers who stick with a...

The presence of the hormone leptin may hinder prenatal development, which could explain the origin of type 2 diabetes, according to...

An analysis of fossilized Native American feces shows that our ancestors ate up to sixteen times the fiber that we do today, but our...

Managing diabetes is hugely challenging for people of any age, but a new study suggests that young people may suffer all the more....

Disruptions to the gut’s ecosystem could be a future symptom facing young children who take antibiotics, which makes them more susceptible...

Breastfeeding a newborn holds many benefits for mommy and baby; it reduces the baby's risk for colds and viruses, it helps his bones (and yours)...

Fans of the Dexcom G5 Mobile have something to smile about.

At yesterday's hearing with the U.S. Food and Drug...

If you start your day with a cup of tea and end it with a glass of red wine, your blood sugar may thank you.

At least that...

As medical experts continue to debate whether or not "healthy obesity" can even exist, one new study suggests that risk for heart disease...

For years, type 1 diabetics have been anxiously waiting for that medical marvel that can stop the constant injections: the artificial...