Measurement of Breath Air Acetone Levels as an Indicator of Increased Ketogenesis in Patients with Uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract: Impaired carbohydrate metabolism is characteristic of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) subjects that cause dysregulation of glucose uptake by target cells. Ketogenesis is compensation of this condition. The basic of this process is fatty acid oxidation. Increasing fatty acid oxidation forms ketone bodies that we call acetone and can be detected by breathing air. Aim of study to determine correlation between acetone level in air breath test as indicator of fatty acid oxidation and fasting blood glucose level in uncontrolled DM subjects. Cross-sectional, uncontrolled DM subjects and healthy person as control group. We measured fasting blood glucose (FBG) level and samples of air breath and analyzed with photoacoustic laser spectroscopy. Correlation between level of acetone and FBG analysis with Pearson correlation. Compare means of acetone level between DM subject and control group analysis with non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. P value 0,05, 95% CI. Ten uncontrolled DM subjects and 10 healthy persons as a control group were followed in this study. The mean age and body mass index are 48,7 + 5,6 vs. 49,2 + 4,4 years (p>0,05 CI 95%) and BMI 22,4 + 2,1 vs. 22,9 + 3,8 kg/m2 (p>0,05 CI 95%). Level of acetone between DM subjects and control group 260 + 41,1 vs 177 + 18,4 ppm (p<0,05). There is a strong correlation between acetone level and FBG level (r=0,97 p<0,05). Strong correlation between acetone level in air breath with FBG level. We can assume that the level of acetone in air breath can use as an indicator of increasing ketogenesis in uncontrolled DM subjects.
keyword: ketogenesis, acetone, photoacoustic, diabetes mellitus

Author: Moh. Robikhul Ikhsan, Luthfan Budi Purnomo, Mitrayana

Published on : JKKI Volume 2, Number 6 July 2010