Exhaled breath volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detection methods: GC-MS versus eNose in COPD diagnosis-a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Background: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) derived from exhaled breath have been studied for their diagnostic potential in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the diagnostic efficacy of detection technologies of electronic nose (eNose) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) remains unclear. This study aims to systematically compare the diagnostic performance of these two methods in COPD diagnosis.
Methods: This review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies were retrieved from databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, SciFinder and Web of Science, with a cutoff date of April 30, 2025. Two researchers screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of the studies using the QUADAS-2 tool. A bivariate model was used to perform meta-analyses of sensitivity, specificity and heterogeneity for the eNose and GC-MS detection methods.
Results: A total of 39 studies were included in the systematic review, involving 2325 COPD patients and 1574 healthy controls. Among these, 18 studies were incorporated into the meta-analysis, with the pooled sensitivity and specificity of VOCs for differentiating COPD patients from controls being 83% and 78%, respectively. For specific VOCs detection methods, both GC-MS and eNose showed comparable pooled sensitivity of 0.83 and 0.82 respectively. However, eNose demonstrated a significantly higher pooled specificity (0.87; 95% CI: 0.82-0.92) and area under the sROC curve…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 2,325 participants or records.
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