Investigating the differences of breath profile between males and females using
principal component analysis
Name ID
Bachelor Biomedical Science, BBS2003, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The
1
Netherlands
Purpose:
Principal component analysis is a multivariate technique that is based on variance,
and it is used for analyzing and determining relationships in very large datasets. Such
datasets are generated in the exhaled breath field. The aim of the study is to
investigate the differences in breath profile in males and females.
Materials and Methods:
Exhaled breath samples were collected from 50 healthy individuals (25 males, 25
females), via the use of tedlar bags. The content of exhaled breath was then measured
via the use of thermal desorption, followed by the use of gas chromatography- time-
of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-tof-MS). In the end, breath chromatograms were
generated and the trend in the data was examined using principal component analysis
(PCA).
Results:
Out of all the sampled compounds, 33 different breath volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) were found to be statistically significantly different among males and females
(p<0.001). Initially, the breath profiles showed some separation between males and
females, however some overlap was recorded between subjects. When only the
significant compounds were considered, complete separation was achieved.
Conclusions:
Differences in significantly different volatile compounds can be assessed using PCA
analysis. PCA could serve as a potential tool with clinical use to help describe
differences in VOCs or other sexually dimorphic characteristics in males and females,
thus limiting bias in future research of diseases.
Keywords: principal component analysis (PCA), males vs females, exhaled breath,
big data
principal component analysis
Name ID
Bachelor Biomedical Science, BBS2003, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The
1
Netherlands
Purpose:
Principal component analysis is a multivariate technique that is based on variance,
and it is used for analyzing and determining relationships in very large datasets. Such
datasets are generated in the exhaled breath field. The aim of the study is to
investigate the differences in breath profile in males and females.
Materials and Methods:
Exhaled breath samples were collected from 50 healthy individuals (25 males, 25
females), via the use of tedlar bags. The content of exhaled breath was then measured
via the use of thermal desorption, followed by the use of gas chromatography- time-
of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-tof-MS). In the end, breath chromatograms were
generated and the trend in the data was examined using principal component analysis
(PCA).
Results:
Out of all the sampled compounds, 33 different breath volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) were found to be statistically significantly different among males and females
(p<0.001). Initially, the breath profiles showed some separation between males and
females, however some overlap was recorded between subjects. When only the
significant compounds were considered, complete separation was achieved.
Conclusions:
Differences in significantly different volatile compounds can be assessed using PCA
analysis. PCA could serve as a potential tool with clinical use to help describe
differences in VOCs or other sexually dimorphic characteristics in males and females,
thus limiting bias in future research of diseases.
Keywords: principal component analysis (PCA), males vs females, exhaled breath,
big data
