Volatile organic compounds as disease predictors in newborn infants: a systematic review.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) detected in human breath, urine, stool, sweat, saliva, and blood result from metabolic processes in the body during health or disease. Using sophisticated measurement systems, small amounts of these compounds can be detected in the above bodily fluids. Multiple studies in adults and children have shown the potential of these compounds to differentiate between healthy individuals and patients by detecting profiles of compounds in non-invasively collected samples. However, the detection of biomarkers in VOCs from neonates is particularly attractive due to the non-invasive nature of its approach, and its ability to track disease progress by longitudinal sampling. In this work we have reviewed the literature on the use of VOCs in neonates and identified areas for future work.