Volatile sputum biomarkers can monitor the response to treatment of nontuberculous mycobacteria disease: a pilot study

Abstract

Nontuberculous mycobacteria disease can cause severe comorbidity and high mortality. Tracking treatment response and determining treatment endpoint remains a major challenge in the clinical management of NTM disease. The current approach for monitoring treatment response requires multiple cultures and radiographic results, which is time-consuming and relatively insensitive. Here we report nine biomarkers selected by comparing paired pre-treatment (n=6) and post-treatment (n=6) sputum samples. The suggested biomarkers can distinguish the pre-treatment group from the post-treatment group. The results demonstrate that detecting volatile sputum biomarkers is a potential supplementary tool for monitoring the response to the treatment of NTM disease.