DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MONITORING ASTHMA

摘要

A device (10) and method for non-invasively monitoring asthma and other respiratory diseases. The method includes collecting condensate from a subject's breath, testing the condensate to determine its acidity level or ammonium concentration, and evaluating these properties to determine the presence, absence or status of a respiratory disease in the subject. The method may also include, prior to the testing step, standardizing the volatile substances that may be present within the condensate in a degassing or gas standardizing step. The device (10) includes a mouthpiece apparatus (20) configured to receive breath from a subject, a condensation apparatus (60) to condense the subject's breath and produce a condensate, and a collection apparatus (100) having a collection chamber (102) containing means for testing the condensate to determine its chemical properties. The device (10) also include a system for removing or standardizing the volatile substances that may be present with the condensate.