Asthma Control

Daily asthma management by asthma sufferers can have a significant and beneficial impact on patient’s quality and enjoyment of life. By regularly monitoring the concentration of exhaled trace gas chemicals in a patient’s breath it is possible to help asthma sufferers control their condition before they even develop any symptoms.

Applied Nanodetectors has developed an ultrasensitive sensor array platform that can be configured to monitor different gases in breath and also provide a robust diagnosis. The ability to carry out patient diagnoses at the point of care using a breath test would be a major advancement both in terms of clinical care and cost saving. They could detect airway inflammation directly before any symptoms and then take the appropriate treatment to bring it under control. These devices can be used in handheld instruments and interfaced with mobile phones to provide instant feedback to the doctor or patient via telemedicine applications.  The system is being implemented initially in the UK.

Patients could breathe onto the sensor chip and healthcare providers can diagnose and monitor patients remotely. Regular use of a breath test would provide an effective point-of-care treatment and lead to a reduction in healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes.