Clinical and Inflammatory Phenotyping: Can Electronic Nose and NMR-based Metabolomics Work at the Bedside?

Electronic nose (eNose) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics seem to be able to identify metabolic and inflammatory profiles in patients with chronic obstructive diseases. The hypothesis arises from three recent studies using two different methods in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), opening promising diagnostic perspectives. The possibility that the use of eNose and NMR-based metabolomics might provide clinical/inflammatory characteristics is intriguing. This might classify specific phenotypes of chronic airway disease regardless of the diagnosis asthma or COPD, therefore suggesting therapeutical targets for a personalized respiratory medicine through more efficient "tailored" strategies.