LC/MS/MS analysis of leukotriene B4 and other eicosanoids in exhaled breath condensate for assessing lung inflammation

Leukotriene (LT) B4 is a potent inflammatory lipid mediator that has been involved in the pathophysiology of respiratory diseases including asthma. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is a non-invasive method to sample secretions from the airways. LC/MS/MS techniques for measuring LTB4 concentrations in EBC have been developed and are suitable for an accurate quantitative assessment of its concentrations in EBC. LC/MS/MS for other eicosanoids including 8-isoprostane, a marker of oxidative stress, and cysteinyl-LTs have been developed. This article, mainly focused on LTB4, presents the analytical aspects of the LC/MS/MS techniques for measuring LTB4 and 8-isoprostane in EBC, provides examples of their application to the assessment of airway inflammation in patients with asthma and other respiratory diseases, and discusses their potential utility for non-invasive monitoring of drug therapy.